Researchers analyzed seven popular COVID-19 rapid tests in the Jan. 10 report based on the System Usability Scale, an evaluation tool that rates products on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being the easiest to use. None of the analyzed tests received “excellent” scores, with more than 30 points separating the top and bottom tests.
“Our evaluation shows that some rapid tests are much easier to use than others,”” Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and CEO of ECRI, said in a news release. “If given options, consumers should choose tests that are the easiest to use, because when a test is difficult for a consumer to use, it may lead to an inaccurate result.”
The tests evaluated and their ratings on the System Usability Scale are as follows:
1. On/Go: Very Good (82.9)
2. CareStart: Very Good (80.8)
3. Flowflex: Very Good (79.5)
4. QuickVue: Good (75.6)
5. BinaxNOW: Good (73.3)
6. InteliSwab: Good (73.3)
7. BD Veritor: Okay (51.8)
