Response to release of specified minutes, notes and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox
4th February 2022: Response to release of specified minutes, notes and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox
A spokesperson for Randox said:
“It is clear from these papers that Randox contracts were awarded in full compliance with government procedures and protocols in place at a time of the emerging pandemic.
“The awarding of the contracts reflected Randox’s extensive diagnostics capabilities within the UK and 40 years of experience in that field. As Secretary of State, Sajid Javid says in his statement, the service Randox provided was integral to the rapid building, from scratch, of the largest ever testing industry in UK history.
“Randox’s laboratories expanded rapidly in order to operate at scale and were the first laboratory to report over 100,000 PCR results in a day. It is clear from these papers that the company has delivered a vital and core part of the UK’s testing capacity.
“Randox remains proud of its performance and delivery of Covid 19 testing throughout the pandemic. To date Randox has reported almost 24 million PCR results and has played a key role in both keeping people safe and sustaining vital national infrastructure.
“Unlike other laboratories Randox was able from the outset to provide whole-system capabilities to deliver the tests. Both the World Health Organisation and the UK government agreed this capability was crucial to combating the pandemic.”
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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Evaluation of Omicron Variant to Ensure Test Effectiveness
7th December 2021
Evaluating Omicron and Other SARS-CoV-2 Variants to Ensure Test Effectiveness
SARS-CoV-2, like all viruses, evolves over time through mutations, as it spreads and replicates. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with different sets of mutations, have been observed worldwide. Most changes have little impact on the virus’ properties. However, some may cause increased transmissibility, severity of disease or the ability to evade the host immune response. Surveillance of genetic variations is therefore crucial to identify those variants which pose a higher risk to human health.
Variants may impact the performance of current diagnostic approaches. This is why Randox continuously review public genomic databases to assess whether any emerging mutations overlap with the assay design and monitor assay performance as part of post-market surveillance efforts to ensure the coronavirus assays continue to meet the highest quality standards.
In light of the emergence of the new variant of concern detected in South Africa, Omicron (B.1.1.529), Randox have analysed all publicly available sequences of the variant to predict any impact of defining mutations on assay designs.
As the COVID-19 assays from Randox Laboratories Ltd. are designed using a dual-target approach (ORf1ab, E gene) to reduce the impact of genetic variation in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, detection of SARS-CoV-2 is not predicted to be affected by the currently known variants.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 using the Vivalytic rapid RT-PCR tests, targeting the E gene sequence are not affected by the identified mutations. Assay performance is not predicted to be impaired by the current known variants.
Randox Laboratories Ltd., in collaboration with leading technology manufacturer Bosch Healthcare Solutions, have developed a range of COVID-19 testing solutions, providing clear and concise results in a timely manner, directly at the point of care. Randox is a distributor for Vivalytic platform and cartridges.
For all enquiries regarding our COVID-19 assays performance , please contact marketing@randox.com
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Randox welcomes CMA moves to safeguard consumer interests around PCR testing
3rd December 2021
Randox Statement: Randox welcomes CMA moves to safeguard consumer interests around PCR testing
Responding to today’s announcement by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a spokesman for Randox said:
“We welcome the role played by the CMA, with our full co-operation, in ensuring that consumers continue to get a fair deal during the Covid emergency.
“Randox has been happy to engage fully with the CMA from the outset to ensure in the interests of its customers while the company delivers millions of Covid-19 PCR tests to facilitate vital international travel against the changing requirements of governments.
“As the industry leader, Randox has been in the ideal position to both review the services required to support the international traveller and provide a consumer-industry standard of Terms and Conditions. These have, of necessity, evolved over time.
“In working with the CMA, Randox’s aim has been to ensure absolute fairness whilst building and providing critical services in a highly volatile and demanding environment.”
Additional Information
Randox has today welcomed engagement with the CMA to optimise Covid-19 PCR testing support for international travel whilst ensuring the sustainability of critical national services.
As the industry leader Randox has been in the ideal position to both review the services required to support the international traveller, and provide a consumer-industry standard of Terms and Conditions, which have evolved over time. In working with the CMA Randox’s aim has been to ensure absolute fairness whilst building and providing critical services in a highly volatile and demanding environment.
“Both industry and the travelling public have faced significant pressures in enabling international travel,” said a spokesperson. “From an industry perspective Government required immediate and large scale investment to establish validated end-to-end testing services, supported by nationwide logistics, with fully secure reporting to both individuals and Government. Yet there were no contracts, no expected duration for services and the requirement was based on a single product – Covid-19 PCR testing. It was also evident that Government would remove the requirement for such testing as soon as practicable and would not provide any further support.”
The spokesperson went on; “At the same time as requiring significant investment and a rapid response from industry, Government retained the right to alter demand on an almost daily basis and did so frequently by moving countries between the green, amber and red lists with no notice. Government subsequently removed the country lists entirely and effectively closed the requirements for international travel PCRs by moving to lateral flow devices in October – only months after establishing services.” The decision by the Prime Minister to reintroduce PCR testing at very short notice this week, without prior notice to industry, further illustrates the challenges faced.
It had also been clear that the public were faced with highly variable pricing by a number of suppliers – some advertising low prices, but which were only available in very limited circumstances – something Grant Shapps asked the CMA to review. “From the very start Randox committed to highly competitive and transparent pricing which was available across the nation,” said the spokesperson. “Our home testing kits are available at an all inclusive price of £43 with a click and collect service at £34.99 – we know that these represent excellent value for money.”
Randox’s engagement with the CMA has provided the ability to review consumer-industry terms and conditions in the light of very hard won experience. “We do hope that other providers will consider our terms and conditions,” said the spokesperson, “and we know that the CMA will provide further guidance where required.”
The spokesperson went on; “We at Randox are very proud of what we have achieved in very demanding and volatile circumstances. We have built and sustained a reliable and cost effective service to enable international travel – meeting critical business needs and ensuring friends and families can continue to meet. We are committed to providing this service for as long as Government requires.”
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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Ministers and MPs Praise Randox’s ‘Life-Saving’ Role In Delivering Mass Testing During Pandemic
18th November 2021
Speaking in the House of Commons on behalf of the government on November 17, Health Minister Gillian Keegan praised Randox’s 40 years of experience in testing and diagnostics. She confirmed to the House that as early as March 2020, Randox already had lab-based PCR testing capacity for Covid-19.
Recognising the imperative of testing as a weapon against the pandemic and facing a shortage of proven testing capacity, she said “the Government had made the common sense decision to work with companies that had existing diagnostic capability.”
The Minister continued: “The initial challenge that (Randox) faced was the challenge facing governments the world over: a shortage of machinery and transport. Nonetheless, it quickly overcame them to play a critical role in our pandemic response.”
She also confirmed that in June 2020, Randox was ahead of all other labs in process, plans, and reporting. A six-month-extension was agreed in September 2020, and by March 2021 Randox was exceeding contract targets, processing more than 120,000 tests in a single day.
Keegan said to date, that Randox has carried out over 15 million tests for Covid-19, and identified over 700,000 positive cases. “That is 700,000 people who might otherwise have gone on to spread the disease,” She continued: “As a result of this testing capacity, they received the right advice to isolate, thereby protecting their friends, their family and society at large.”
Her recognition of Randox’s crucial role in combatting the pandemic at its height was echoed by Maggie Throup MP, Minister for Vaccines and Public Health, who said that working with Randox was a decision which had “saved many thousands of lives”.
She told the House: “contracts with companies such as Randox have been some of the essential building blocks without which we would never have built what is now one of the largest testing networks in the world.”
Throup said she “utterly rejected” the idea that Randox had received any kind of special treatment.
“Our partnership with Randox is simply a reflection of the situation in which we found ourselves in March 2020”, she clarified, “facing a global pandemic of unknown and unprecedented proportions and acting as a responsible Government should. We worked against genuine fears that we would run out of vital testing equipment, that we would not have the capacity to test people and that the deadly virus might continue to spread from person to person, silent and undetected.”
“Working with Randox was the right thing to do, it was the responsible thing to do and, quite simply, it was a decision that has saved many thousands of lives”, she told MPs.
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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House of Commons Debate | Randox Statement
17th November 2021: House of Commons Debate | Randox Statement
Randox will be pleased to co-operate fully in laying before the House all the material required.
Public disclosure will demonstrate the extraordinary efficiency and value for money provided by Randox through contracts awarded in full compliance with government regulations at a time of national crisis.
Contrary to much of what has been written and broadcast, lobbying played no role in the awarding of these contracts.
The company has 40 years experience in testing and diagnostics. It is proud of its performance and delivery under the contracts awarded to it on merit by the Government. They resulted in the delivery of more than 21 million Covid tests, 15 million of them to the National Testing Programme from the start of the emergency in the Spring of 2020.
At this time, hindered by global shortages and less experience than Randox, other laboratories were simply not able to provide whole-system capabilities to deliver the tests which the World Health Organisation and the UK government agreed were crucial to combating the pandemic.
11th November 2021: COVID Contracts | Randox Statement
Randox states categorically that political lobbying played no role in the award of Covid contracts to the company. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) contracts to provide Covid-19 testing were awarded on merit to Randox as the largest healthcare diagnostic company from the UK. The entire process was transparent and compliant with government regulations in a time of national crisis.
Randox has almost 40 years experience in testing and diagnostics: it was one of the first companies in the world to develop a Covid-19 test and to have developed extensive laboratory, IT and logistic infrastructure to support large scale testing operations. The decision to award Covid-19 contracts was fully validated by the company’s performance and delivery under the terms of the contracts.
The company was awarded its initial Covid contract on 30 Mar 20 and, within a short period, had exceeded the initial Covid-19 testing capability of the entire NHS.
Subsequent DHSC planning required Randox to deliver 17,000 tests per day by the end of April and more beyond then. To facilitate and ultimately enable these extraordinary levels of delivery, Randox was temporarily allocated 5 extraction systems from universities in order to increase capacity. DHSC directed the Army to collect equipment, in line with their support for all Pillar 2 laboratories.
This was a pragmatic and transparent move by the DHSC to meet a critical national need to save lives and ease overwhelming pressure on the NHS. The extraction systems were returned once the systems ordered by Randox, against the backdrop of a global shortage of such equipment, had been delivered and installed.
Randox and its staff have striven tirelessly and innovatively to support the national Covid-19 testing effort. We are proud of our collective achievement at a time of crisis in being the only Pillar 2 laboratory to have reported in excess of 100,000 Covid-19 results in one day.
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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COVID Contracts | Randox Statement
11th November 2021: COVID Contracts | Randox Statement
Randox states categorically that political lobbying played no role in the award of Covid contracts to the company. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) contracts to provide Covid-19 testing were awarded on merit to Randox as the largest healthcare diagnostic company from the UK. The entire process was transparent and compliant with government regulations in a time of national crisis.
Randox has almost 40 years experience in testing and diagnostics: it was one of the first companies in the world to develop a Covid-19 test and to have developed extensive laboratory, IT and logistic infrastructure to support large scale testing operations. The decision to award Covid-19 contracts was fully validated by the company’s performance and delivery under the terms of the contracts.
The company was awarded its initial Covid contract on 30 Mar 20 and, within a short period, had exceeded the initial Covid-19 testing capability of the entire NHS.
Subsequent DHSC planning required Randox to deliver 17,000 tests per day by the end of April and more beyond then. To facilitate and ultimately enable these extraordinary levels of delivery, Randox was temporarily allocated 5 extraction systems from universities in order to increase capacity. DHSC directed the Army to collect equipment, in line with their support for all Pillar 2 laboratories.
This was a pragmatic and transparent move by the DHSC to meet a critical national need to save lives and ease overwhelming pressure on the NHS. The extraction systems were returned once the systems ordered by Randox, against the backdrop of a global shortage of such equipment, had been delivered and installed.
Randox and its staff have striven tirelessly and innovatively to support the national Covid-19 testing effort. We are proud of our collective achievement at a time of crisis in being the only Pillar 2 laboratory to have reported in excess of 100,000 Covid-19 results in one day.
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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Health Minister Robin Swann visits Randox COVID testing laboratories
20th October 2021: Health Minister Robin Swann visits Randox COVID testing laboratories
Health Minister Robin Swann has today thanked local staff for their ongoing role in COVID-19 testing while visiting Randox Laboratories.
During his visit to the testing facility at Randox Science Park on the outskirts of Antrim, the Health Minister heard how the company significantly increased its testing capacity since the beginning of the pandemic.
Following a tour of the facility, Minister Swann, said: “Randox continues to play an important ongoing role in the fight against COVID-19 as part of the National Testing Programme and has enabled thousands of people in Northern Ireland to get tested quickly.
“There is no doubt, that we are in a very fortunate position in Northern Ireland to have companies like Randox. We have seen how the company and its highly skilled and expert workforce have been able to innovate and advance its testing capabilities to greatly support the pandemic. I want to personally thank the staff at Randox for all they have done in helping to keep people safe.”
Minister Swann added: “We are continuing to see a high number of positive cases each day in Northern Ireland which is concerning. Therefore I would again remind people of the importance of getting tested should they develop symptoms. Alongside vaccination and contact tracing, COVID-19 testing remains one of the main pillars of protection against this virus. Please do the right thing.”
Dr Peter FitzGerald, Randox Managing Director said:
“We are delighted to welcome Minister Swann to our COVID testing laboratories at the Randox Science Park in Antrim, to witness first-hand the incredible efforts of our hard-working staff, who have been at the forefront of COVID-19 testing since the outset of the pandemic and as such have played a vital role in the global fight against coronavirus.
“Thanks to their ongoing commitment to serve our communities in these difficult times, Randox remains amongst the very largest COVID-19 laboratories in the UK and Europe, and to date has processed almost 20 million tests for the UK National Testing Programme and testing for international travel.
“Randox have built on 40 years of diagnostic experience, and extensive R&D, to provide our extensive COVID-19 testing capabilities and we will continue to support the community and the needs of travellers for as long as that is required. Thereafter we know that diagnostics have a key role in future healthcare, to both prevent disease and optimise its treatment, and will refocus our efforts to that end.”
Since March 2020, Randox has invested a total of £150 million in the development of new innovations in testing technology and in the building and equipping of world-class testing laboratories, sample collection clinics, and associated logistics networks. The company has also grown its workforce by more than 850, and continues to recruit across science, manufacturing and customer support.
For further information please contact Amy Millar, Randox Public Relations Team Leader; amy.millar@randox.com or 028 9442 2413
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Randox launch authentication app for Day 2 Lateral Flow tests for vaccinated international arrival
18th October 2021: Randox launch authentication app for Day 2 Lateral Flow tests for vaccinated international arrivals
Randox, the UK’s largest diagnostics company, today announces that it is launching the Randox CertiFly App, a mobile application designed to securely process and certify results for both pre departure and Day 2 lateral flow tests – the latter a requirement for vaccinated international arrivals in the UK from 24th October.
The app, which applies ID verification technology, is designed to simplify foreign travel and facilitate the efficient transfer of secure and verified information through three simple steps:
Step 1 – Download the Randox CertiFly App and scan your passport to register
Step 2 – Collect your sample using a Randox CertiFly lateral flow testing kit
Step 3 – Scan your result using the app and receive certificate in app and by email
The app, which is solely for use with Randox Certifly lateral flow tests, is free to download. The lateral flow tests, which are ordered from Randox and cost as little as £20, are then used in combination with the app to capture the individual’s ID and securely upload the test result. The identity of users will be validated by scanning passports into the system, with future versions of the app featuring facial recognition software to further increase security.
Available in just 15 minutes, test results are processed using Randox CertiFly’s AI software, before being confirmed manually by a healthcare professional. As applicable, a Day 2 or fit-to-fly certificate will then be issued to the user and stored in the app for easy access.
Each Randox CertiFly lateral flow testing kit has a unique single-use QR code that can be registered with the app. Testing kits, which can be purchased from the Randox Health website, include swab, extraction buffer tube, waste bag, tube holder, package insert and test cassette. The app is available now for iOS and Android devices.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr Peter FitzGerald CBE, Managing Director at Randox, said:
“COVID-19 has severely impacted the way that we travel but, thankfully, testing technology has been able to help the world open up again. At Randox, we are proud to have been at the heart of UK testing and we are continuously looking at ways to make improvements for our customers. Randox has been helping millions of passengers travel safely since the onset of the pandemic by providing innovative testing solutions, like the Randox CertiFly app, that fulfil testing requirements for those who need to travel, whilst keeping costs as low as possible.”
Alex Rusak, Randox VP Business Development, said:
“With Day 2 lateral flow test results a requirement for vaccinated international arrivals in the UK from 24th October, we are pleased to launch our first lateral flow test certification app. The features of the app maximise security and allow the efficient flow of accurate and secure information to provide customers with a verified results certificate, without the need for time-consuming and costly video consultations. With the ability to process more than 100,000 certificates in 24h, the Randox CertiFly App rapidly provides validated test results, with the ultimate goal of making sure that travel is accessible, affordable, and importantly, safe.”
Fintan O’Rourke, Head Of Global partnerships at CertiFly, added:
“We are encouraged to see testing policy adapt to make international travelling easier and we believe that it’s crucial for technology to adapt alongside this to keep the country as safe as possible. Technology plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity of COVID-19 testing and that’s why CertiFly has developed an app with Randox to reduce the risks associated with fraudulent testing. We have built in the same verification technology that banks use to eliminate identity fraud and a two-step validation process for test results, with AI analysis followed by verification from a healthcare professional. As restrictions evolve, is it important to maintain rigorous testing standards in support of the UK’s fight against COVID-19, and we are proud to be part of this.”
The Randox Certifly App is available to download for iOS and Android devices following purchase of a lateral flow test at covid.randox.com
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Randox strengthen partnership with Sheffield United by agreeing to become naming right partner of the widely-acclaimed Sheffield United Academy
08th October 2021 – Randox strengthen partnership with Sheffield United by agreeing to become naming right partner of the widely-acclaimed Sheffield United Academy
Sheffield United have today announced a further strengthening of their principal partnership with Randox. The healthcare giants have agreed to become naming right partners of the widely-acclaimed Sheffield United Academy.
Located at Shirecliffe, it is the base of the men’s, women’s and academy teams. The facility, since its opening its doors in the early 2000s, has seen the likes of Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, David Brooks, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Aaron Ramsdale all progress through the academy ranks.
Established in 1982 in Northern Ireland, Randox is the largest healthcare diagnostics company from the UK and Ireland. In 2019 Randox manufactured over four billion tests and operated in over 145 countries. The company employs more than 2,500 staff, including more than 450 research scientists and engineers, with key facilities located in Co. Antrim and Co. Donegal.
Randox Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald CBE said: “We are very excited for the opportunity to extend our partnership by aligning Randox with the Sheffield United Academy. With almost 40 years of experience in the manufacture of world-leading medical diagnostics and comprehensive health check and sports science services, Randox is well positioned to assist in the development of the health, wellbeing and performance of these elite athletes. We look forward to working with the Academy and to lending our expertise to make further developments in cutting-edge sports science.”
United’s head of commercial, Paul Reeves, said: “This is a significant further investment from Randox and a long-term commitment to our next generation of players, both male and female. The academy plays an integral part within the club and it goes without question the rising importance of developing players of all ages to continue to compete on a global scale. We would like to thank Dr FitzGerald and his colleagues for their valued contribution.”
Paul added; “The newly-named Randox Health Academy has some exciting prospects on the horizon with the likes of Daniel Jebbison, Femi Seriki and Iliman Ndiaye all making their Premier League debuts at the end of the 20/21 season.”
Visit randoxhealth.com to find out more about their ground-breaking R&D, advanced health checks, and rapid COVID travel tests.
For press enquiries please contact Amy Millar in the Randox PR team on amy.millar@randox.com or 028 9442 2413
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