LOS ANGELES, Oct. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scanwell Health, a Los Angeles-based company offering at-home lab tests, announced today the expansion of the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership in North Carolina. Currently, thousands of study participants across the state are enrolled in the study and testing regularly using Scanwell’s at-home test kits to detect antibodies to the novel coronavirus. With the expansion, Scanwell will distribute over 200,000 test kits by the end of the year in partnership with existing and new study sites. The sites include academic and community hospitals in North Carolina, such as Wake Forest Baptist Health, Atrium Health, WakeMed, Vidant Health, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, and Campbell University Osteopathic School of Medicine.
The year-long serosurveillance study, led by Wake Forest Baptist Health, began in April 2020 with the aim of helping the medical community better understand the COVID-19 pandemic. Study participants recruited from the Wake Forest Baptist Health and Atrium Health systems are asked to complete short daily online questionnaires about possible exposures, symptoms and health care visits. This information is combined with the Scanwell at-home antibody test results and the participants’ medical records.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive human suffering and economic damage,” said Dr. Jack Jeng, Chief Medical Officer at Scanwell Health. “By supporting this innovative research study in North Carolina, Scanwell is helping doctors, scientists, public health officials, and policymakers understand and combat this deadly virus.”
The principal investigators leading the study were impressed with the accessibility, performance, and scalability of the Scanwell tests. As a result, more sites and participants have been added to the study to create a sample size that is statistically representative of the larger population of North Carolina. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals.
About Scanwell Health
Scanwell Health makes healthcare quick and easy by offering smartphone-enabled, at-home lab tests with real-time results for everyone. Scanwell’s innovative approach allows people to self-test without leaving home, get immediate results, and connect to care digitally. By quickly diagnosing acute illnesses, chronic diseases and rare conditions, Scanwell accelerates the path to treatment. Scanwell is the first and only company to gain FDA 510(k) clearance for an over-the-counter diagnostic smartphone application. Learn more at scanwellhealth.com.
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Michelle Faulkner
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michelle@big-swing.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0abb5bcd-0cf6-4f40-aa80-a768d1ef190a