2 June 2020 - - US-based pathology, clinical and molecular laboratory services provider PathGroup has launched a new, minimally-invasive nasal swab collection option as a part of its comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing programme, the company said.

Many current molecular diagnostic COVID-19 tests rely on a nasopharyngeal swab, which can cause discomfort for patients during the collection process.

The new nasal swab collection option is more comfortable for patients and easier for healthcare providers to administer.

Nashville-based PathGroup operates in 25 states across the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, serving more than 100 hospitals and 15,000 referring physicians.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, PathGroup has also been working with state and local health departments to provide robust testing capabilities in communities across the region with many persons receiving test results within a 24-hour timeframe.

All of PathGroup's testing is performed on platforms that have received US Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization.

In addition to molecular diagnostic testing, PathGroup also offers serologic, or antibody, testing for COVID-19.

Founded in 1965, PathGroup is a premier provider of anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology laboratory services in the United States.

Privately held and physician-centric, PathGroup works seamlessly with customers to provide superior diagnostic services. PathGroup uses the latest in proprietary and industry standard technology to deliver fast, accurate results.