Quest Diagnostics First Commercial Lab with EUA for Zika Test

Quest Diagnostics is the first commercial laboratory to be granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) for testing patients for Zika virus with its Zika Virus RNA Qualitative Real-Time RT-PCR test.

Developed by Quest’s Focus Diagnostics Lab, the new test is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning May 2.

Under the EUA, Focus has authority to designate laboratories within Quest Diagnostics networks to perform testing.

This is the second EUA Focus Diagnostics has received for an emerging infectious disease diagnostic test. It was awarded an EUA in 2009 for the H1N1 influenza pandemic virus. — Joya Patel