TB Test that Gave False Results Banned

The anti-serology test for tuberculosis has been banned by Union Health Ministry after an alarm raised by WHO of false test result. The major concern in this, according to Deputy DG of the TB division of the Health Ministry Dr Ashok Kumar, is that that this makes the patient who has tested falsely negative continues to suffer from his condition, and secondly if a poor patient is falsely tested positive, he has to shell out Rs 880 to Rs 1200 unnecessarily.

It has been proved that the anti-serology TB test gives false negative as well as false positive results. So, it can show a TB patient to be healthy and a person without TB to be infected. So, the genuine patients have to wait till their condition gets worse to get treatment. Moreover, people who do not have TB are made to take drugs unnecessarily which can increase the toxicity of their kidneys and brain.

To estimate the monetary and health loss of this false test, experts say that it can be gauged by the fact that 90 per cent of private doctors prescribe these tests. India adds 1.5 million new TB cases every year.