Why You Can’t Find Cheap At-Home COVID-19 Tests

While cheap tests are easily available overseas, Americans are left with few options

After nearly two years, consumers still have few options for cheap tests that quickly screen for infection—despite thousands awaiting FDA approval. joel bubble ben/Shutterstock

While developing a rapid test that detects the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 in someone’s saliva, Blink Science, a Florida-based startup, heard something startling: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had received more than 3,000 emergency use authorization applications, and it didn’t have the resources to get through them.

“We want to try to avoid the EUA quagmire,” said Peb Hendrix, vice president of operations for Blink Science.