Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd.

It is interesting to know how a routine blood test can give the clinician a plethora of information! Pathologists the world over are relying on various hematology parameters for severity assessment of COVID-19. Renowned scientific and clinical publications have now concluded that various biochemistry and hematology parameters play an essential role in the early detection, prognosis and management of COVID-19. Significant reduction in absolute Lymphocyte count and Hemoglobin, is associated with the increase in total WBC count, absolute Neutrophil count, ESR, Prothrombin Time, D-Dimer, C-Reactive Protein and Pro-calcitonin. Additionally, various routine biochemical parameters also get deranged and signify the severity and poor prognosis. These lab findings, especially elevated Ferritin levels, suggest an imminent ‘Cytokine Storm’ which might lead to complications like Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Pneumonia and Multi-organ Failure (MOD). Elevated troponins & CK-MB signi...

It’s that time of the year when India Inc. puts forth their suggestions and expectations from the Government in allocating policies and budgets for the year that will be, and healthcare is no exception. The Indian healthcare industry is on a progressive track and the diagnostic industry in particular is expected to steadily grow at a CAGR of 13-14% through 2020. Having said that, the industry looks forward to crucial government reforms that will help achieve these numbers. While technology is expected to continue to make in-roads, I reiterate that affordability and accessibility of healthcare need to take centre-stage. I am hoping that a major focus in the Union Budget 2020 will be given to the diagnostic industry, as it is the starting point to building a Healthy and Happy India. Hard reality of the USD 7 bn Indian medical device industry is that imports still constitute to 72-80%. While Make in India continues to remain the central focus for the government, as an Indi...

We often tend to compare the prices of the diagnostic tests, prescribed by Doctor. This article is intended to convey something as complex as the diagnostic ecosystem and end user pricing in as simple a manner as possible. There are quick reactions when information about raw material pricing of diagnostics are shared in media reports comparing it to the price an end user pays for the same. Nothing can be farther from the truth, as pricing of tests by labs and hospitals are influenced by multiple factors which tend to vary significantly. Like with most services, there will be a huge variation depending on the location and other factors. It is important to raise this awareness and correct the misconception of the general public. I am listing most of the factors (not all and by no means exhaustive) that are behind the price variation in diagnostic tests across locations in India: Location - Real estate costs vary hugely across India and these variations are significant...

Do you remember the Bollywood movie that highlights how the main protagonist’s world turns upside down when she is tested HIV positive? Not surprisingly, the movie wasn’t a box-office success for treading the forbidden path. HIV and AIDS still continue to be shadowed by societal stigma. This World AIDS Day, Transasia does a reality check on the prevalence of the infection and re-emphasizes the need for early diagnosis. HIV and AIDS Most people confuse HIV and AIDS. While HIV is the virus that attacks the immune system; AIDS, also known as late stage HIV, is a set of symptoms that are manifested due to an immune system seriously damaged by HIV. Though there is no cure for HIV, early diagnosis can aid in timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy that can stop the virus from damaging the immune system. An HIV patient who has received timely treatment can live a normal and long life without progressing to late stage HIV. Arresting the infection early on! H...

Say blood transmitted disease and the first name that comes to mind is HIV infection. But did you know that 9 times more people are infected with Hepatitis than HIV? 28th July every year is recognized as World Hepatitis Day, in an effort to create awareness to eradicate the deadly virus by 2030. The second major infectious disease after tuberculosis, Hepatitis affects 325 million people worldwide, claiming 4,000 lives a day! What is ironical is that 290 of these 325 million people are unaware of their infection!* That's the story of the missing millions.. Not just globally, hepatitis is a severe health challenge in India as well. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, India has a disease burden of about 50 mn; second only to China; with a prevalence of 2-7%.** Hepatitis B infection shows no symptoms Of the five strains A,B,C,D and E of the Hepatitis virus, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is 50-100 times more infectio...

A blood test today holds the key to every treatment outcome. In the wake of the growing number of blood disorders, hematology testing has become critical. In order to reach out to the 70% Indians in need of blood testing, manufacturers need to provide solutions that are affordable and give accurate results. The increasing prevalence of blood diseases and disorders, pose a global health challenge and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. From the patients’ perspective, this has led to increasing awareness of diseases and shift from sickness to wellness. Look at it from the perspective of the IVD Industry; hematology has grown to be recognized as a distinct steam of laboratory medicine. Technological advancements, increasing adoption of automated hematology instruments, integration of basic flow-cytometry techniques, usage of microfluidics technology, introduction of digital imaging for cell morphology, rising demand for high-throughput hematology analyzers &...

Clinical lab automation is growing in India; however, its impact on patient care is yet to be felt fully as only a small percentage of laboratories are fully automated. With the various Government initiatives for providing a better healthcare landscape, it will be interesting to see how lab automation can make the difference! With Ayushman Bharat becoming the most trending topic of 2018 in the Indian healthcare arena, all eyes are set on how the health ministry meets the promise of providing free diagnostics to the beneficiaries in secondary and tertiary healthcare set-up. Though diagnostics is at the centre of healthcare delivery, it is ironical that in a country like India, 70% population has never got their blood tested. In such a scenario, providing affordable diagnostics, leave alone free diagnostics, poses the biggest challenge. One thing is clear, to entitle affordable healthcare to 50 crore citizens, the government is joining hands with the industry. Which means, once...

In the first edition of this blog, we evaluated the impact of EDL on the healthcare system. The Indian IVD manufacturers have an important role to play along with the health ministry to ensure that EDL truly benefits the patients at large. In this concluding series let us evaluate the same: In addition to the healthcare sector, an EDL will also have a significant impact on the IVD manufacturing industry: An EDL, by listing country/region specific needs, could help develop target product profiles (TPPs) . A TPP provides details on the minimum and optimal performance and operational characteristics of priority diagnostic tests. Researchers and manufacturers use TPPs to ensure that R&D activities are focused on relevant products to meet the needs of end users. Moreover, an EDL is prepared taking into consideration, target users, intended use, infrastructural requirement, sample type and volume, sample handling, performance, diagnostic testing algorithm, etc. Thus, an IVD ma...

From me, we now move to the ‘Our factors of the spectrum. It starts with responsibility.  Employees today, are ready to take on additional responsibilities that give them an opportunity to accelerate their progress. They look for a chance to innovate and make the difference. Employers need to foster innovation through employee brainstorming sessions that allow the staff to work with new people and generate fresh ideas. Not long ago, Google announced its 20% creative time policy, which encourages employees to work on any innovative idea they have that are company-related during 20% of their work hours. When Transasia wanted to introduce its caller tune, it ran a contest for its employees to conceptualize a jingle that can be a true identity of the company. After all, who would know the company better than its employees? A company too has certain responsibilities towards its employees, providing a good health insurance is one of them. Infact, it is the most top-rated b...

India’s leading In-vitro diagnostic company, Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd. has been adjudged the ‘Brand of the Decade’ by ERTC Media Pvt. Ltd. - one of India’s leading media consulting and brand listing company.  Transasia emerged as a jury’s favorite, in the category of medical devices from amongst top five competitors. The ‘Brand of the Decade’ is a recognition given to those brands that have in the past decade, innovated and leveraged new lucrative opportunities to disrupt the established category dynamics and in the process gain customer loyalty. The winners were selected based on an extensive three-fold research by Brand Advertising Research and Consulting (BARC) Asia - a multi-brand consultancy firm. The first phase comprised of the secondary research by evaluating the industry reports and market surveys. The second phase shortlisted contestants through an in-depth primary survey conducted among the target audience through parameters such as trust, sustainabili...