PCR test reduced to R500
COMPLY: Bonakele
Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele has announced that pricing for the Covid-19 PCR test has been reduced from R850 to R500 with immediate effect.
This groundbreaking agreement was made between the Competition Tribunal and private laboratories Du Buisson Kramer Swart Bouwer Incorporated (Ampath), Drs Mauff AC & Partners trading as Lancet Laboratories.
Bonakele said in October, the Competition Commission received a formal complaint from the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) against private pathology laboratories alleging that the price for supplying PCR tests for Covid testing was “unfairly inflated, exorbitant and/or unjustifiable”.
He explained that between September and October 2021, the commission was alerted to a possible pricing abuse for Covid-19 PCR tests to the detriment of consumers and customers.
It was alleged that private labs have experienced substantial cost reductions in conducting Covid-19 PCR tests and were processing significant volumes, yet the price charged by these labs remained unchanged at R850.
“We expect that other stakeholders, including Pathcare who have not yet settled the matter, and other laboratories will come forward and resolve the matter. The litigation between Pathcare continues,” he said.
“We call upon all laboratories to comply with this settlement, and offer a price of no more than R500, including VAT.
“We will be monitoring this and where necessary we will take action.
“We also expect that the intermediaries, such as medical aid schemes, pass on these savings to consumers,” Bonakele said.
