Biden administration boosting at-home Covid testing efforts

The Biden administration is taking steps to boost access to over-the-counter Covid-19 testing, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.

Posted 1:09 p.m. Oct 25, 2021 — Updated 1:09 p.m. Oct 25, 2021

Betsy Klein

, CNN

CNN — The Biden administration is taking steps to boost access to over-the-counter Covid-19 testing, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.

That includes a $70 million investment from the National Institutes of Health via the Covid relief package passed earlier this year to bring more tests onto the market by identifying and encouraging new manufacturers.

"NIH's new Independent Test Assessment Program (ITAP) will establish an accelerated pathway to support FDA evaluation of tests with potential for large-scale manufacturing," HHS said in a statement.

The US Food and Drug Administration will also streamline the regulatory process for manufacturers of at-home, over-the-counter tests.

"Access to easy-to-use, affordable and reliable COVID tests is key to bringing peace of mind to our families, especially as we approach winter. Thanks to President (Joe) Biden's American Rescue Plan, we are boosting the supply of at-home tests and the number of test options for Americans nationwide," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement Monday. "As we pursue our path out of this pandemic under President Biden, we will continue doing everything we can to keep people safe and healthy."

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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