With effect from July 17 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved to apply a saliva test also to asymptomatic infected persons.

On June 2, the Ministry approved to realize a PCR test using saliva for those who have appearance of symptoms within nine days after onset. An antigen test was also approved at the same time.

The approval was made basing upon the research result that a well-acceptable concordance rate had been recognized between nasopharyngeal fluid and saliva in case of within nine days after onset with regard to the usability having been studied by the Science Inspection Research of the Ministry. As the conventional sampling method had been regarded to be a medical activity, it should have been handled by only those who are engaged in medical practices in health centers or medical institutes.

In the saliva sampling method, on the other hand, an individual person contracts with an inspection company. As the person collects saliva into a vessel (ampoule or the like) and send back, it cannot be regarded as any medical activity.

The method is so simple taking just one day for testing that it is mainly done by private clinical examiners. Testing fee is said to be about 35,000 yen per person though depending upon the examining companies. Some medical gas distributors are showing a sign to commercialize the PCR test using saliva.

The expansion of new coronavirus infection has caused a substantial decrease in the consumption of medical gases due to the delay in operation schedule and decreased outpatients. They took note of it as a new business to make up for the loss. However, it is inevitable for them to tie up with the examining companies for commercialization.