University partners with Vault Health for more accurate COVID-19 testing

Photo by Emily Crebs.

Ohio University selected Vault Health, which provides more accurate testing than the CVS rapid testing primarily used fall semester, to be its provider for both on-campus and at-home COVID-19 tests starting spring semester. 

The saliva-based tests are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and “highly accurate,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

“We received feedback that nasal swab testing is uncomfortable and invasive,” said Gillian Ice, the president’s special assistant for public health operations, in a statement. “The Vault test is less invasive — it is a painless, saliva-based PCR test.”

Vault Health, which was founded in 2018 and based in New York City, “specializes in consumer health, population health and clinical trials,” according to its website. 

The company also provides personalized prescription testosterone treatments shipped to the home through house calls and virtual visits with Vault doctors. The Vault website advertises these services to be “a new type of personalized healthcare — for men and their manhood.” 

Vault also works with companies to distribute, manage and collect clinical trials.

In addition to being highly accurate, PCR tests do not need to be repeated, compared to rapid antigen tests where “negative results may need to be confirmed with a molecular test,” according to the FDA. 

Jason Feldman, CEO and founder of Vault Health, said in an email that PCR tests are the “gold standard,” with greater than 99% of tests providing either a positive or negative result and less than 1% being inconclusive. 

“False positive and false negative rates for saliva-based testing are currently in the 1-2% range,” he said.

Vault’s coronavirus test was developed by Infinity Biologix, formerly known as Rutgers Clinical Genomics Laboratory, and was the first saliva-based test granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA.

“Saliva collection can be self-administered under in person or video supervision, which minimizes exposure risk and use of PPE,” Feldman said.

The EUA stated that in testing with 120 patients, the saliva-based testing results matched the results of the nasal and oral swab tests every time. 

Ice said the new tests are also more cost effective for the university. She said feedback on the tests has been positive. 

“People are often surprised at how much saliva it takes, but I’ve heard positive feedback on staff, set up and the speed at which the rest can be completed,” she said.

After collection of the sample, tests are shipped overnight to a lab and analyzed in order to produce a result, Feldman said. Those results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours after being received by the lab. 

Currently, Vault tests — including those from Ohio U — are processed in two labs, one in New Jersey and one in Minnesota, in partnership with Infinity Biologix. Feldman said Vault partners with 200 colleges and universities to provide COVID-19 testing.