Doctor Tells Tucker His Company Has Had A Coronavirus Antibody Test For Three Weeks, Waiting On ‘Red Tape And The FDA’

Dr. Stephen McColgan of Vivera Pharmaceuticals told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that his company has had a “rapid antibody test” for coronavirus for three weeks, but FDA “red tape” is holding things up.

Carlson explained on Wednesday night’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that a functioning antibody test would allow “those immune” to “return to work without the risk of contracting the disease or spreading it.”

“We have a rapid antibody test, and the key to this is, this is part of the solution to the crisis,” McColgan explained. “It identifies patients who have immunity and it identifies people that can give plasma for critically ill patients.”

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The doctor told Carlson that the test was “developed in Germany,” a country that so far “has the lowest morality” from the virus and has “tested everybody.” The test is also used “by our allies in Europe” and isn’t made in China.

“They are sending all sorts of stuff over here and that’s why this is high quality, high value,” he continued. “I know President Trump is a problem solver and he’s decisive and a made-in-America kind of guy so our goal is to make get America back to work again and to make America well again.”

McColgan went on to explain the science behind an antibody test:

“So when you have a patient that’s had the infection and recovered, they have antibodies,” he said. “Those antibodies mean they have had immunity. So when you spin the plasma off their blood and give it to the critically ill patient, those antibodies fight the viral infection and allow that patient to recover and his immunity to pick up. So it’s critical at this point.” (RELATED: ‘We Should Never Let Someone Like That Run This Country’: Tucker Carlson Says Dr. Fauci’s Advice Could Lead To ‘National Suicide’)

When asked why it’s used in Germany and other places but not in the U.S., the doctor said, “Yeah, I don’t know. You know the red tape and the FDA and President Trump has been trying to cut through it and, you know, they take their time. I don’t know why. New York’s been crying about no testing, no tests, we’ve had these tests for three weeks. We’re just trying to deploy it. It’s the way the red tape of government moves slowly.”

“If there was ever a time to cut through that it would seem to be right now,” said the Fox News host.