The test kits were given the $149 million green light on March 27. By May 1, the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg reported that the kits were testing poorly.
The Trudeau government dished out nearly $150 million in taxpayer dollars on COVID-19 test kits that did not work, the Department of Health admitted yesterday.
According to Blacklock's Reporter, the Department of Health, the "Spartan Cube," funded by the government and designed by Spartan Bioscience Inc., "successfully detected positive samples only 47 percent of the time using samples tested in three different provinces."
The test kits were given the $149 million green light on March 27. By May 1, the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg reported that the kits were testing poorly.
"This device will no longer be authorized for sale," said staff in a memo. "No distribution is allowed. The Cube is authorized for research use only."
The company was given high praise by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at his daily press conferences, telling reporters on March 20 that Spartan was among the "many businesses" that stepped up during the pandemic's starting phases.
Industry Minister Navdeep Bains also praised the company's potential, with the government hoping that the biomedical company would be able to design tests that would be used nation wide.
"If successful, its diagnostic platform and COVID-19 test could be used in airports and clinics," said Bains. "The device could read the test results within thirty minutes. We're working with Spartan to ensure Canadian supply of this equipment."
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