The reading this week on high impact diagnostics in the developing world was very interesting to me, since we often seem to focus on the need to provide treatment. However, this discussion reveals the importance of diagnostic tests in identifying who needs to receive treatment and who doesn’t – something I took for granted before reading this article. Not only are the tests important in identifying who needs treatment and for which specific disease, but also they help in protecting against over treatment. Along these lines, Urdea et al. bring up the connection between diagnostic tests and drug efficacy and availability: since diagnostic tests would be able to differentiate between individuals who need treatment and who do not, medicines would have an increased lifespan, and would be made available to those who actually need them by reducing the inappropriate use of medicines in individuals who do not need them.
The projected lives saved per year with such tests was astounding, and points to the importance of creating and distributing these tests in the developing world. At the same time, Urdea et al. also identify the potential problems with laboratory conditions, including a lack of personnel, equipment, electricity, and water, as well as the issue of climate. The team provided a comprehensive chart of requirements for the different levels of laboratory infrastructure in delivering these tests. It seems like, along with treatment, providing diagnostic tests are essential for establishing good health care to developing countries.
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