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A new test would identify antibodies to covid-19 3:00
(CNN) - The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized a saliva test to diagnose covid-19 in emergencies.
Rutgers University, where the test was developed in collaboration with other groups, announced the FDA clearance Tuesday after formally receiving it over the weekend.
LOOK: How do they work and why are there so few tests to diagnose covid-19?
What this means: Using saliva to diagnose new coronavirus infections could expand testing capabilities across the United States. So far, the covid-19 test has generally involved nose or throat swabs.
"It means we no longer have to put healthcare professionals at risk of infection by performing nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal collections," said Andrew Brooks, director of operations and director of technology development at the university's RUCDR Infinite Biologics laboratory, in a Press release.
According to the Rutgers University press release, this is the first saliva test to receive an emergency use authorization from the FDA. Brooks, a university professor, called the impact of the authorization "significant."
Across the United States, which has faced a paucity of tests, several other labs have been working on developing saliva tests and other types of diagnostic tests for covid-19.
A new test would identify antibodies to covid-19 3:00So far, during the coronavirus pandemic, the FDA has worked with more than 300 test developers who have said they plan to submit requests to the agency to authorize the use of their tests in emergencies, the agency announced Monday.
According to the FDA, 34 emergency use authorizations have been issued to date for diagnostic tests.