Chinese companies confirm quality of exported testing kits to India

NEW DELHI — Two Chinese pharmaceutical companies said on Friday that their testing kits exported to India meet China's quality standard and those of countries they are exported to.

Stressing that quality is their first priority, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech Co. Ltd. and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics Inc., both based in southern China's Guangdong province, said they are ready to cooperate with India on probes into alleged quality issues of their products.

The two companies emphasized that their products have undergone strict quality control procedures, while specified guidelines must be followed in the storage as well as usage of the kits to obtain accurate results.

"We have shown great concern on this issue, and we are willing to coordinate with the related government departments for investigation," Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics Inc. said in a statement.

The company's antibody tests have been approved by various countries and supplied to more than 10 countries, including Denmark, the Czech Republic, Spain and Brazil, it said.

In a separate statement, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech Co. Ltd. said the company has been exporting test kits to more than 70 countries and that the product was validated and approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) through the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

"As a company, quality is our first priority and we are committed to providing high quality products and services to global clients and users," it said.

"Wondfo has established a quality management system that complies with global standards to ensure our testing kits meet the quality standards of China and exported countries," it added.

India's top medical research body ICMR on Tuesday advised states to stop using the rapid antibody test kits from China for two days until it has examined their quality, following complaints that they are not fully effective.

Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong said China has opened a "green channel" for Indian air cargo transport during the epidemic and approved 35 cargo flights carrying medical supplies such as personal protective equipment, ventilators and testing kits to India.

"We will continue to support India fighting against COVID-19," Sun said on Twitter.