Ditch the Swab, FDA Approves COVID-19 Breathalyzer For Emergency Use

Traditional COVID-19 tests take time, are uncomfortable for the patient and are expensive for everyday use. A system that is multi-use and more comfortable would provide huge advantages in the fight against COVID-19.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization for a new COVID-19 test on Thursday that works by detecting chemicals in the patient’s breath, rather than through an uncomfortable nose swab.

The test, called the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer, is about the size of a suitcase and correctly identifies 91% of positive cases and nearly 100% of negative cases. It is also effective at detecting the omicron variant, according to CNN.

That means a positive case will still need to be followed up by a traditional PCR test, but the tool does enable patients to avoid having their nasal passages swabbed when they only suspect a COVID-19 infection or want to test before traveling or going into the office.

But much will depend on how widely the system is adopted and how expensive it is. The device will likely first be distributed to medical offices and mobile testing sites before it becomes available to the general public, if it ever does.

Pricing and availability have not yet been revealed by InspectIR, who says its system provides test results in under three minutes, a massive step up from traditional tests that can take 15 minutes, or in the case of PCR tests, days.

The system uses chemical mixtures to detect five compounds that are found in COVID-19 patients, rather than looking for the virus itself.

InspectIR has long-term goals of getting its breathalyzers in office settings, saying in a 2021 blog post that the system could be used instead of the invasive and expensive tests that are traditionally used, or fever screening that is largely ineffective.

The same technology can be used to detect THC (the primary psychoactive chemical in cannabis) and opioids on the user's breath, according to the company’s website, but it seems they are focused on COVID-19 detection for now.

“Today’s authorization is yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for COVID-19,” said Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health in a statement. “The FDA continues to support the development of novel COVID-19 tests with the goal of advancing technologies that can help address the current pandemic and better position the U.S. for the next public health emergency.”