The Department of Health (DOH) is waiting for the result of the pilot study conducted by the Philippine Society of Pathologists as proof of concept for pooled testing, a health official said on Thursday.

“Ang Kagawaran po ng Kalusugan ay bukas sa rekomendasyon ng pagsasagawa ng pooled testing. (The DOH is open to the recommendation of conduct of pooled testing),” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual Covid-19 presser.

She said the concept has been discussed and approved by the DOH executive committee and the suggestion has been noted by the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

On June 23, Vergeire explained that pooled testing is a method which uses an algorithm allowing the testing of fewer specimens from possible coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

“The specimens will be put together, if the pooled samples are negative, it means every specimen in the samples is negative,” she said. (PNA)