On Aug. 10, 2021, Cardinal Health announced its efforts to commercialize and broaden access to over-the-counter rapid COVID-19 tests through partnerships with Abbott and Quidel Corp. Cardinal Health will leverage its expansive distribution network to support broad access to Quidel’s QuickVueﾮ At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test and Abbott’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test, which allowed consumers to easily perform tests for the virus without a prescription.

With the addition of rapid at-home tests, Cardinal Health’s laboratory products portfolio can now support customized testing and surveillance programs for workplaces, the travel and hospitality industry, and schools with comprehensive solutions that include at-home tests, rapid on-site testing, PCR (molecular testing) and on-site or at-home specimen collection.

COVID-19 OTC rapid tests allow employers, schools and individuals to easily implement screening and surveillance testing programs to identify both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. While the effort to vaccinate more Americans continues, these programs will also remain a vital piece in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 as new variants like Delta emerge and with the potential for the virus to reemerge seasonally.