Study questions usefulness of rapid microbiological point-of-care respiratory test

A rapid microbiological point-of-care test designed to help GPs identify whether a respiratory infection is caused by a virus did not lead to an expected overall reduction in same-day antibiotic prescribing, a University of Bristol-led study has found. The RAPID-TEST study is the first randomized clinical trial of a rapid multiplex microbiological point-of-care test in primary care. The findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine.