Read on Twitter
Context matters … I am aware that people outside the UK are reading my tweets and papers, and influencing their thinking about lateral flow testing. It’s really important that you understand the context I am writing from, and why it probably is different where you are.
1/11
1/11
The situation and issues in the UK (particularly in England), is almost certainly unlike where you are. The UK Government are unique in many ways and that is impacting on how tests are being used. (As a Brit I am also prone to understatement and being overpolite).
2/11
2/11
Our Government have staked their reputation on the Moonshot idea “to get our lives back to normal” using LFTs before there was evidence to see whether it would work. It doesn’t make sense to decide policy before evaluating the technology. Decision-making is now politicised.
3/11
3/11
Some decisions made about testing here are bizarre, and I am tweeting in that context. It would be unfortunate if my tweets are misunderstood and then inappropriately influence decisions elsewhere. But my tweets are not false or wrong as has been implied.
4/11
4/11
The Government are making implementation decisions about LFTs (e.g. allowing visitors to care homes, allowing close contacts to remain at school) without there being supporting evidence, and contrary to advice from our regulator, professional associations and many others.
5/11
5/11
The Government are also providing confusing information to the public – for example every parent was sent a letter telling them LFTs were as good as finding cases as a PCR. And they were not been told that testing in schools is part of “an evaluation”
6/11
6/11
LFTs have some good uses, but there are applications where they are unlikely to work, mainly around using negative results to say people are “safe”. I am tweeting about those– and the misinformation surrounding them. My emphasis is these issues which are big in the UK
7/11
7/11
Also note in the UK we are using the Innova test. That isn’t because it is the best test – but because it was the first test (and currently the only test) to pass through field studies. Not all LFTs are the same and recent data on other LFTs are impressive.
8/11
8/11
I am not going to suggest what people do elsewhere in world. However I would suggest that you all evaluate, in good scientific studies, how well tests work in your settings. Be clear about the People, Places and Purpose for tests, think about the Alternatives and Compare.
9/11
9/11
The biggest hindrance to rational progress is the lack of good relevant empirical evidence. Get good scientists from all discplines together, get them to argue and listen to each other. Get peer review and scrutiny. Publish protocols and all findings to earn trust.
10/11
10/11
But remember tests can have unintended bad effects as well as good effects. Look out for all. And if it doesn’t work - stop. Don’t stake your reputation on something working – stake it on getting the good science done to find out.
11/11
11/11
