Thailand warns antibody self-test after vaccination could be inaccurate

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DMS Director-General Dr. Supakit Sirilak said the department already has an immunity tracking system for vaccine recipients, so people need not perform the tests on themselves.

Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) is advising people against buying antibody testing kits, to test themselves after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, because the result could be inaccurate and lead to misunderstandings.

DMS Director-General Dr. Supakit Sirilak said the department already has an immunity tracking system for vaccine recipients, so people need not perform the tests on themselves.



He added that the antibody efficient at preventing COVID-19 is called a neutralizing antibody, while the antibody testing kits, which are currently available in the market, can only test general antibodies and cannot accurately measure the level of neutralizing antibody in the body.

Dr. Supakit said it is highly recommended that only antibody testing kits which have been approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) be used and that it be done under supervision of doctors or other medical professionals, as the results require interpretation alongside the patient’s symptoms and other test results. (NNT)