TTUHSC to Increase VTM Capacity for Texas Through Production and Education
In a Monday press conference, Gov. Greg Abbott spoke of increasing testing availability in Texas—saying the state would aim to test 30,000 people a day in the coming term. His OpenTexas report recognized Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) as a producer of Viral Transport Medium (VTM), a critical component to expanding access to COVID-19 testing across the state.
Since March, a team from the TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy has produced about 15,000 vials of VTM. Nearly 9,000 vials have been shipped out to support COVID-19 testing across Texas. The team is working to produce an additional 12,000 to 16,000 vials this week to meet the high demand for testing. Meanwhile, they look to become a resource for health care communities across the state for education about on-site production of VTM.
