In December Council for Medical Schemes alleged the private clinical labs in South Africa were supplying COVID-19 PCR tests at “unfairly inflated, exorbitant, and/or unjustifiable” prices.
As part of the investigation, the Competition Commission asked the private clinical laboratory companies for financial statements and costs of COVID-19 testing.
In a December news release the Commission said it had reached a “ground-breaking agreement” with two private laboratories — Ampath and Lancet — to reduce their COVID-19 PCR test prices from 850 South African rand ($54.43) to R500 ($31.97).
Also, Lancet, Ampath and PathCare labs agreed to reduce prices for rapid antigen tests from R250-350 ($16-22 ) to 150 ($9.74).
The clinical laboratory companies “exploited consumers by earning excessive profits on essential products or services,” told Tembinkosi Bonakele, Commissioner of the South Africa Competition Commission.
“It is always encouraging for companies to voluntarily consider reducing prices, especially where the public is detrimentally affected by the prices, as to avoid protracted litigation,” he added.
For its part, Lancet lab said in a statement:
“We appreciate the spirit of constructive engagement with the Commission which has resulted in an outcome that best serves the people of South Africa as they confront the fourth COVID wave. We are sensitive to the plight of the public and agree that reducing the COVID-19 PCR price is in best national interest.”
In January, The New York Times reported:
- 28% of South Africans are fully vaccinated.
- 33% of residents have had one vaccine dose.
- One in 17 people was diagnosed with COVID-19.
- One in 632 had died from the infection.
- COVID-19 deaths total 92,830.
Source: Dark Daily
