“Statistics means never having to say you’re Certain”
–Anonymous
Episode Summary
Episode 102 is a brief (10min) medical summary Dr. Curtis put together reviewing the false negative rate found with the commonly performed COVID 19 PCR test.
Dr. Curtis has treated hundreds of COVID 19 cases and reviews these tests daily.
He reviewed this article from the Annuals of Internal Medicine
Join the conversation at the Future Focus Health Network–WFO LIFE PODCAST TRIBE!
Thank you for this info. I have wondered about the tests that are out there. They say it is not FDA approved but they are using it anyway. I’m going to put on my nerd readers and check out the article! Ok, your explanation was more understandable. Good to know if I get exposed.
Dr Curtis, I enjoyed your clear explanation about the optimal window for getting most accurate results. Thank you! It is a bit confusing, just listening to it; it helps to draw a little timeline with the days marked out! (visual learner here)
I have two issues with the PCR test
1) Kary Mullis, the Nobel Prize winning INVENTOR of the PCR test, cautioned against using it as a diagnostic tool when they decided to use it to try to isolate the AIDS virus. (never happened)
When there is documentation stating that the “COVID-19 virus” has never been isolated, HOW in the world can it be verified “positive” with a test? Of course this could be a matter of semantics. Is the COVID-19 PCR test actually measuring the presence of the SARS-COV-2 (other name for COVID-19) virus? And has that been isolated?
It seems to me the PCR test has served to create a lot of hysteria over “cases.” When the detection of viral particles will definitely be positive over a certain amplification cycle threshold. The higher the cycle number, the higher number of false positives, correct? Now the CDC is stating they will be phasing out this test soon. It’s all so confusing, and I tend to think confusing things are nefarious, because “Our God is not a God of confusion.”
2) I find it curious that the test seems very over-used. (NOT saying you’re doing this in YOUR practice.) WHY in the world would someone be “testing daily” for Covid, as Greg Abbott recently confessed he’s been doing? Can you explain the point of that? My son (in Austin) told me his daughter was “exposed to COVID” at school and had to have DAILY tests! Again, I fail to see the point.
I’ve been a Registered Nurse for almost 30 years and have never seen anything like this.
I really appreciate your efforts to be a voice of reason in the oceans of insanity. THANK YOU for educating us and for the dialogue, Dr. Curtis!