Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to a report that BTNX, an importer of rapid COVID-19 tests with billions in government contracts, allegedly gave regulators incomplete data about the product’s accuracy in detecting the disease. He stated that the government needs to learn lessons to prepare for the next pandemic, acknowledging that there were both successes and failures in the pandemic response.
Global News reported that BTNX allegedly deleted dozens of samples from a study submitted to Health Canada, making the test appear more reliable and sensitive than it actually was. BTNX denied providing inaccurate information, stating that it had operated with integrity and transparency according to Health Canada and international standards. Health Canada did not provide a response at the time of the report.
BTNX received an estimated $2 billion through 15 federal contracts in 2021 and 2022 and provided 404 million COVID tests to the Public Health Agency of Canada. These tests were used as screening tools across the country for various purposes, such as returning to work, sending children to school, and visiting relatives in long-term care facilities. The tests also informed government decisions about whether to lift or intensify public health restrictions. Global News found that BTNX sourced its tests from a Chinese manufacturer, and that BTNX had edited some details in the data submitted to Health Canada.