In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs
In vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices are tests performed on samples taken from the human body, such as swabs of mucus from inside the nose or back of the throat, or blood taken from a vein or fingerstick. IVDs can detect diseases or other conditions and can be used to monitor a person's overall health to help cure, treat, or prevent diseases. There are several types of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 related IVDs:
- Diagnostic Tests - Tests that detect parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and can be used to diagnose infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These include molecular tests and antigen tests.
- Serology/Antibody Tests - Tests that detect antibodies (e.g., IgM, IgG) to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Serology/antibody tests cannot be used to diagnose a current infection.
- Tests for Management of COVID-19 Patients - Beyond tests that diagnose or detect SARS-CoV-2 virus or antibodies, there are also tests that are authorized for use in the management of patients with COVID-19, such as to detect biomarkers related to inflammation. Once patients are diagnosed with COVID-19 disease, these additional tests can be used to inform patient management decisions.
Any test developer requesting an EUA that intends to leverage data from another EUA-authorized device must obtain a right of reference to leverage the performance data for that EUA-authorized device. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has granted a right of reference to the performance data contained in CDC's EUA request (FDA submission number EUA200001) to any entity seeking an FDA EUA for a COVID-19 diagnostic device.
Templates for these EUA submissions are available to help facilitate the preparation, submission, and authorization of an EUA:
- Molecular Diagnostic Template for Commercial Manufacturers (updated July 28, 2020)
- Molecular Diagnostic Template for Laboratories (updated July 28, 2020)
- Serology Template for Test Developers (November 24, 2020)
- Antigen Template for Test Developers (October 26, 2020)
- Home Specimen Collection Molecular Diagnostic Template (May 29, 2020)
- Home Specimen Collection Serology Template for Fingerstick Dried Blood Spot (November 24, 2020)
- Template for Manufacturers of Molecular and Antigen Diagnostic COVID-19 Tests for Non-Laboratory Use (July 29, 2020)
These templates are part of the Policy for Coronavirus Disease-2019 Tests During the Public Health Emergency (Revised) - Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories, Commercial Manufacturers, and Food and Drug Administration Staff, which also includes additional policies specific to this public Health emergency. The templates reflect FDA's current thinking on the data and information that developers should submit to facilitate the EUA process. The templates provide information and recommendations, and we plan to update them as appropriate as we learn more about the COVID-19 disease and gain experience with the EUA process for the various types of COVID-19 tests.
Developers who intend to use alternative approaches should consider seeking the FDA's feedback or recommendations to help them through the EUA process. The FDA encourages developers to discuss any alternative technological approaches to validating their test with the FDA through CDRH-EUA-Templates@fda.hhs.gov.
Members of the public can submit questions about the templates to CDRH-EUA-Templates@fda.hhs.gov, or they can submit comments regarding the templates to the public docket established for the guidance Policy for Coronavirus Disease-2019 Tests During the Public Health Emergency (Revised) - Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories, Commercial Manufacturers, and Food and Drug Administration Staff.
Test developers interested in pursuing an EUA may submit a pre-EUA to begin discussions with the FDA or may submit an EUA request to CDRH-EUA-Templates@fda.hhs.gov.
Additional information can be found on the FAQs on Testing for SARS-CoV-2 webpage.
Tables of IVD EUAs:
- Individual EUAs for Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
- Umbrella EUA for Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Developed And Performed By Laboratories Certified Under CLIA To Perform High Complexity Tests
- Individual EUAs for Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
- Individual EUAs for Serology Tests for SARS-CoV-2
- Umbrella EUA for Independently Validated Serology Tests for SARS-CoV-2
- Individual EUAs for IVDs for Management of COVID-19 Patients
Individual EUAs for Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
This table includes information about authorized SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic tests. These EUAs have been issued for each individual test with certain conditions of authorization required of the manufacturer and authorized laboratories. Test attributes are listed in the “Attributes” column. For example, tests authorized for the screening of asymptomatic individuals without known exposure are listed with “screening” in the attribute column; pooling, multi-analyte, saliva, home collection, and home testing are similarly listed. Tests available without a prescription include the attribute “DTC” (for direct-to-consumer home collection tests) or “OTC” (for over-the-counter at-home tests).
1 Authorized settings include the following:
- H - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform high complexity tests.
- M - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform moderate complexity tests.
- W - Patient care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.
2 Authorization Documents include the Healthcare Provider (HCP) and Patient Fact Sheets and either the Manufacture Instructions/Package Insert (abbreviated to IFU) or the EUA Summary.
- RT-PCR = reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction;
- RT = reverse transcriptase;
- LAMP = loop-mediated isothermal amplification;
- MALDI-TOF = Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization - Time of Flight;
- TMA = Transcription Mediated Amplification;
- qSTAR = Selective Temperature Amplification Reaction;
- CRISPR = clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats;
Umbrella EUA for Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Developed And Performed By Laboratories Certified Under CLIA To Perform High Complexity Tests
On March 31, 2020, the FDA issued an umbrella EUA for molecular laboratory developed tests (LDTs) for detection of SARS-CoV-2 that meet certain criteria for eligibility described in the EUA. Under this EUA, authorized tests are authorized for use in the single laboratory that developed the authorized test and that is certified under Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a to perform high complexity tests. A manufacturer may request the addition of an eligible molecular-based LDT to Appendix A by submitting a request to CDRH-EUA-Templates@FDA.HHS.GOV.
- EUA Letter of Authorization - Laboratories Who Have Developed a Molecular-Based Test (LDTs) for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
- Fact Sheet for Patients
- See Appendix A table below for a current list of included laboratories and their LTDs
The table below includes information for the high complexity molecular-based laboratory developed SARS-CoV-2 assays authorized by this Umbrella EUA during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Appendix A: Authorized Molecular-Based Laboratory Developed Tests for Detection of Nucleic Acid from SARS-CoV-2
1 The tests listed in this table are all molecular-based tests for COVID-19 and the authorized setting is for use in the identified laboratory that is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, to perform high complexity tests.
Individual EUAs for Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
This table includes information about authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen diagnostic tests that have been authorized individually. These EUAs have been issued for each individual test with certain conditions of authorization required of the manufacturer and authorized laboratories. Test attributes are listed in the "Attributes" column. For example, tests authorized for the screening of asymptomatic individuals without known exposure are listed with "screening" in the attribute column; pooling, multi-analyte, saliva, home collection, and home testing are similarly listed. Tests available without a prescription include the attribute “DTC” (for direct-to-consumer home collection tests) or “OTC” (for over-the-counter at-home tests).
1 Authorized settings include the following:
- H - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform high complexity tests.
- M - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform moderate complexity tests.
- W - Patient care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.
2 Authorization Documents include the Healthcare Provider (HCP) and Patient Fact Sheets and either the Manufacture Instructions/Package Insert (abbreviated to IFU) or the EUA Summary.
Individual EUAs for Serology Tests for SARS-CoV-2
On August 6, 2020, based on FDA's continued review of the scientific evidence available for Autobio Diagnostics Co. Ltd.'s Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Test for the qualitative detection and differentiation of IgM and IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in human plasma from anticoagulated blood (Heparin/ EDTA/ sodium citrate) or serum 2, including evidence from an NIH/NCI independent evaluation, FDA determined that the statutory criteria for the authorization in Section 564(c)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act are no longer met. Specifically, FDA determined that it is not reasonable to believe the product may be effective in detecting IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 or that the known and potential benefits of the device when used for this purpose outweigh its known and potential risks. FDA also concluded that based on the risks to public health from false test results, revocation is appropriate to protect the public health or safety. Accordingly, the EUA was revoked under Section 564(g)(2)(B) & (C) of the FD&C Act.
On June 16, 2020, based on FDA's continued review of the scientific evidence available for Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc.'s DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG System for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, including evidence from an NIH/NCI independent evaluation, FDA determined that the statutory criteria for issuing an EUA in Section 564(c)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act are no longer met. Specifically, FDA determined that it is not reasonable to believe the product may be effective in detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 or that the known and potential benefits of the device when used for this purpose outweigh its known and potential risks. FDA also concluded that based on the risks to public health from false test results, revocation is appropriate to protect the public health or safety. Accordingly, the EUA was revoked under Section 564(g)(2)(B) & (C) of the FD&C Act.
This table includes information about authorized SARS-CoV-2 serology/antibody assays that have been authorized individually. These EUAs have been issued for each individual test with certain conditions of authorization required of the manufacturer and authorized laboratories.
For additional performance information about EUA authorized serology/antibody tests, please see the EUA Authorized Serology Test Performance webpage.
1 Authorized settings include the following:
- H - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform high complexity tests.
- M - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform moderate complexity tests.
- W - Patient care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.
2 Authorization Documents include the Healthcare Provider (HCP) and Patient Fact Sheets and either the Manufacture Instructions/Package Insert (abbreviated to IFU) or the EUA Summary.
3 Abbreviations: CLIA = chemiluminescence immunoassay; ELISA = enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; ECLIA = electrochemiluminescence immunoassay; FMIA = fluorescent microsphere Immunoassay, CMIA = chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay; ELFA = enzyme-linked fluorescence assay
Umbrella EUA for Independently Validated Serology Tests for SARS-CoV-2
On April 28, 2020, FDA issued an umbrella EUA for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Tests (Lateral flow or Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests) that have been evaluated in an independent validation study performed at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI), or by another government agency designated by the FDA, and are confirmed by the FDA to meet the criteria set forth in the Scope of Authorization of the EUA. To date, however, no device has been added to the list of authorized devices in Appendix A of the letter of authorization.
On July 21, 2020, FDA determined, based on information and experience since issuing this EUA, that circumstances support revocation of this umbrella EUA so that FDA may issue individual EUAs. Individual EUAs will allow for broader indications and scopes of authorization, individualized conditions of authorization to address any issue unique to a specific test, and more streamlined EUA amendments, such as additional uses that would not fall under this umbrella EUA.
Accordingly, the EUA was revoked under Section 564(g)(2)(C) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act.
Individual EUAs For IVDs for Management of COVID-19 Patients
This table includes information about authorized in vitro diagnostic tests that may be used in the management of patients with COVID-19 that have been authorized individually. These EUAs have been issued for each individual test with certain conditions of authorization required of the manufacturer and authorized laboratories.
1 Authorized settings include the following:
- H - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform high complexity tests.
- M - Laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform moderate complexity tests.
- W - Patient care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.
2 Authorization Documents include the Healthcare Provider (HCP) and Patient Fact Sheets and either the Manufacture Instructions/Package Insert (abbreviated to IFU) or the EUA Summary.