In the latest press release, it did say that the tests are UNDER $20 so the $17.50 would fall into that description.
I have been reading all the latest comments on the thread and the euphoria is very gratifying. What troubles me a little is the following statement from the latest QDEL press release.
"A vast number of people worldwide are infected with H. pylori, but most -- probably 75% -- never develop symptoms.
In the United States, the overall infection rate ranges from less than 20% by age 20 to more than 60% by age 60. Physicians traditionally relied on invasive, time-consuming endoscopic tests to diagnose H. pylori infections. However, new in-office blood tests, like QUIDEL's QuickVue, offer physicians speed, convenience and low cost. "
I receive my personal care from an HMO, and if no symtoms are present I suspect no tests would be run. Assume then that only 25% of the 60% by age 60 are tested, as mentioned above. Has anyone heard what an actual number, with symptoms might be. Nation wide, and World wide.?
It seems obvious that nearly all with symptoms may be tested as a good preventative measure, and some HMOs especially the one I use is real big on preventative care.
In countries with socialized medicine like Canada and Germany and others, a test for H. pylori, might become just as routine as pap tests or TB tests it happens in the US. We can all only hope.
Jerry. |
