Guidance published: Rapid antigen detection tests (RADT)
Health Technology Wales has today published national Guidance on rapid antigen detection tests (RADT).
We appraised the clinical and cost effectiveness of RADT for group A streptococcal infections to treat people with a sore throat in the community pharmacy setting.
Our Appraisal Panel concluded that the use of RADT is promising but the current evidence is limited and does not support routine adoption.
Some promising evidence had been collected on the use of RADTs in community pharmacies in Wales but more definitive studies are required.
The topic was proposed by Andrew Evans, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for the Welsh Government. It was requested that we assess the use of this test specifically in the community pharmacy setting since the use of RADTs in this way may alleviate pressure on General Practices and improve the stewardship of appropriate antibiotic prescribing.
The status of our Guidance is that NHS Wales should adopt this guidance or justify why it has not been followed. We will evaluate the adoption and impact of our Guidance.
We’ve published Guidance, an Evidence Appraisal Report (EAR), a Topic Exploration Report (TER) and a plan language summary for this topic. Click here to read about this topic.
The HTW Appraisal Panel considers appraisal evidence within the context of NHS Wales, and produces the HTW Guidance. The panel also helps us to identify important topics, evaluates the uptake of guidance and facilitates stakeholder engagement. It has pan-Wales and multi-disciplinary representation. Learn more about our Appraisal Process.