Advocates Urge Price Slash for Key Mpox Test Amid African Outbreak

Global health advocates have appealed to the makers of a crucial mpox diagnostic test to cut its cost from $20 to $5 per test. The current price hinders testing in poorer nations, exacerbating the mpox outbreak in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to notable NGOs.

Global health advocates are calling for the price of a critical diagnostic test for mpox to be slashed from $20 to $5 to aid low testing rates in economically disadvantaged countries severely impacted by the virus.

Celpehid's GeneXpert mpox test, approved by the World Health Organization for emergency use, is too costly for some nations, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The outbreak in Congo, once designated a public health emergency by WHO, has since spread regionally, causing severe health impacts.

The WHO identified a rising trend in African mpox cases, though reports suggest stabilization in some areas of Congo. Activists, including Public Citizen and Médecins Sans Frontières, urge Cepheid to lower prices and focus supplies on African countries. Cepheid's test machines are pivotal as they are widely available for tuberculosis testing, highlighting the necessity for more affordable mpox test prices.

(With inputs from agencies.)