The Competition Commission says it has reached a ground-breaking agreement with two major laboratories, Ampath and Lancet, on the substantial reduction of COVID-19 PCR test prices.
Last month, the Commission said it had received a formal complaint from the Council for Medical Schemes against private pathology laboratories alleging that the cost of supplying PCR tests for COVID-19 was unfairly inflated, exorbitant and unjustifiable.
The Commission also says between September and October, it was alerted through a number of discussions, including with the Department of Health and healthcare funders, to a possible pricing abuse for COVID-19 PCR tests to the detriment of vulnerable consumers and customers.
It is alleged that private pathology laboratories have experienced substantial cost reductions in conducting COVID-19 PCR tests and were processing significant volumes.
However, the price charged by the private pathology laboratories for COVID-19 PCR tests remained persistently high and unchanged at R850.
An official announcement on the new pricing will be made on Sunday morning.
Full statement in the tweet below:
Media Advisory: Urgent media briefing on the announcement of a ground-breaking agreement on PCR test prices pic.twitter.com/uSzrlX65IH
— CompComSA (@CompComSA) December 11, 2021
