March 31, 2021
Keio University School of Medicine
A research team led by Professor Hiroshi Nishihara of the Biobank and Translational Research Support Division, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University School of Medicine, has announced the concept of a pooled saliva-based PCR testing method necessary to balance the prevention of infection spread with socioeconomic activities. Within this concept, they propose the idea of social PCR testing, which can determine a person's infectivity to others by estimating the viral load from the Ct value of the PCR test, based on various scientific data reported to date.
These findings were published in The Keio Journal of Medicine on March 19, 2021 (JST).
These results are also part of the "Research on the Establishment of a Social Testing System Using Saliva for COVID-19" project, which was selected for the "Research Program on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases" by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) in fiscal year 2020. This research aims to balance economic revitalization and infection control by establishing a simple and highly safe testing method that can be performed outside of medical institutions.
This research has been conducted under a framework where the Keio University School of Medicine serves as the lead institution, with Rakuten Group, Inc., Nihon Chouzai Co., Ltd., Philips Japan, Ltd., LSI Medience Corporation, and Mitsubishi Space Software Co., Ltd. participating as research collaborating companies. Starting today, Rakuten Group, Inc. will begin offering COVID-19 saliva PCR test kits for individuals. From April 12, a service will be launched at four pharmacies affiliated with Nihon Chouzai's "Health Check Stations," where pharmacy staff will provide in-person consultations and testing follow-ups. The Keio University School of Medicine will continue to advance research toward establishing a new testing system.
For the full press release, please see below.