Why these tests, being unable to discriminate the alive/active viruses from the dead/nonactive, are used in detection of covid19 disease (which is an active condition)
Katon bouzalakos made this Freedom of Information request to Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency,
On the following request Ref: FOI 23/804 you quoted: Both PCR and LFDs are used to detect the active form and non-active form of the disease (asymptomatic individuals) end of quote.
Thank you for your FOI 23/804 answer, though you practically avoided to reply directly to my question about the detection of active disease and transmission with these tests (PCR, Lateral flow).
Given the indirect answer that both tests "detect active and not active form of the disease (the latest practically means detection of dead viruses), my question is: Why these tests, being unable to discriminate the alive/active viruses from the dead/nonactive, are used in detection of covid19 disease (which is an active condition), while they cost the citizens-taxpayers a lot of money (directly when paid personally and indirectly when paid by the health system-NHS)?
P.S.
My doctor cardiologist explained me that the used term "not active form of the disease" in your answer, is an artificially invented/created non-formal, non-scientific "term", because a "not active form" of an infectious agent (in this case, a virus, the covid19) cannot cause a disease and this is simply because this agent is dead-that's why it is not active.
It doesn't make any sense to match the term "not active form" with a "disease". The diseases are results only of active forms/factors and not of non-active ones.
Yours faithfully,
Katon bouzalakos
Our Ref: FOI 23/902
Dear Katon bouzalakos,
RE: REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
Thank you for your enquiry which we received on 21 November.
I confirm that your request is now being handled under the Freedom of Information Act and you should receive a reply within 20 working days from our date of receipt.
If you need to contact us again about this request, please quote the reference number above.
Please be aware that we publish FOIs replies and these are redacted and are located on our website at the following link below.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collection...
Kind Regards,
MHRA Customer Experience Centre
Communications and engagement team
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf,
London E14 4PU
Telephone 020 3080 6000
FOI 23/902
Dear Katon Bouzalakos
Thank you for your email of 21 November 2021 where you asked in relation to PCR and LFDs for SARS-Cov-2:
"Why these tests, being unable to discriminate the alive/active viruses from the dead/nonactive, are used in detection of covid19 disease (which is an active condition), while they cost the citizens-taxpayers a lot of money (directly when paid personally and indirectly when paid by the health system-NHS)?"
Having assessed your question, we have determined that this does not constitute a valid Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request, and we are unable to deal with your enquiry under the terms of the Act.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) can only be used to access recorded information held by a public body. It cannot be used to obtain guidance, opinions, conjecture or advice. Moreover, while the MHRA regulates diagnostic medical devices, it is not responsible for advising the UK Government on COVID-19 testing policy.
The ICO's guidance explains that: "The Act does not cover information that is in someone's head. If a member of the public asks for information, you only have to provide information you already have in recorded form. You do not have to create new information or find the answer to a question from staff who may happen to know it."
The ICO's guidance is available on this link:
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/foi...
To assist, you may also be interested in the ICO's guidance on how to make effective request for information:
https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/offici...
I hope this is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team,
The MHRA information supplied in response to your request is subject to Crown copyright. The FOIA only entitles you to access to MHRA information.
For information on the reproduction or re-use of MHRA information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
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Dear Katon Bouzalakos
Your request FOI 23/902 and your two subsequent emails of 19/12/2023 were
submitted to us through different whatdotheyknow request pages. The emails
of 19 December were acknowledged as seeking an internal review of FOI
23/902, and we have therefore copied this response to both wdtk webpages.
It may be helpful for processing in future, if you wish to appeal
a response issued to you, that you select the relevant option for that
request on the website if you are unhappy with the response, rather than
submit your complaints on a new wdtk page. Guidance on usage of the wdtk
website is here:
[1]Making requests - WhatDoTheyKnow
Kind regards
MHRA Customer Experience Centre
Communications and engagement team
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU
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