Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd.

Did you know the prevalence of Sickle Cell Anemia in India is the second largest worldwide? On the occasion of World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, we give you an insight into this hereditary disorder that is a growing concern for the country. Rahul, a six year old, from a remote area in Chattisgarh, often misses school.+ Vikram a young, 22 year old boy from Gujarat recently grabbed a lucrative offer at one of the MNCs. However, he had to soon quit. + Rahul and Vikram are both related, not by blood, but by a blood disorder - Sickle Cell Disease. A group of inherited disorders affecting the hemoglobin, sickle cell disease, can cause severe and life-threatening consequences, such as anemia, infections, stroke, tissue damage, organ failure, intense painful episodes and premature death. A chronic disorder of global health importance, ironically, sickle cell disease, is often neglected. India is estimated to have the second highest burden of the disease in the world, a fa...

The provision of safe and efficacious blood and blood components for transfusion involves a number of processes and there is a risk of error in each process of this ‘transfusion chain’. A failure at any of the stages can have serious implications for the recipients of blood and blood components. Thus, while blood transfusion can be life-saving, there are associated risks, particularly the transmission of blood-borne infections. The core Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTI) tests recommended by WHO are; Hepatitis B Surface antigen, antibody to Hepatitis C, HIV 1 & 2, and serologic test for Syphilis. In India, besides these core tests, donated blood is also mandatorily tested for Malaria antigen. Speaking particularly about Syphilis, it was once a common STD, however the prevalence was brought down from 8% of the population, to less than 1%. Infact, in 2011, the National Aids Control Organization (NACO) , had announced that the country is on the verge of eliminatio...

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 &...

Though there are several positives, when you view the fine print, the proposed policy initiatives are a far cry from creating an attractive environment for the domestic production of medical devices as well as catalyzing R&D. As a member of the healthcare industry I am happy that through the interim budget, the Government has announced its intent to continue to focus on building a healthier India. The healthcare sector has got a boost with nearly 13% hike in the health budget, the highest in the last two financial years. An allocation of Rs. 6400 crores towards Ayushman Bharat, commissioning of the 22nd AIIMS centre and setting up of health and wellness centres, are all positive moves that are set to bring in a new wave of health transformation especially for the lower and middle class families. Artificial Intelligence - harnessing the benefits of new age technology The announcement to set up a National Artificial Intelligence portal will lay further emphasis on techn...

While we harp on making diagnostics in India accessible and affordable, it is essential to do so without compromising on quality... While most of the Western world and Asia have long had regulations in place, to ensure quality standards, India has started devising its own regulatory systems for medical devices only in the recent past. With the introduction of Medical Device Rule 2017, the government is set to ensure that all medical devices, henceforth, both produced and imported, will conform to high standards. Further the recently introduced ICMED, India’s first indigenous quality assurance system for ‘Make in India’ medical devices, is aimed at enhancing patient safety, by providing product credentials to manufacturers. From the customer’s perspective, it will help in procurement of standardized products. Making regulations a part of good business practice Research shows that most organizations identify the primary role of Quality Assurance as compliance i.e. ensurin...

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...

The liver is the powerhouse for the process of blood clotting (hemostasis). Any damage to the liver, can affect the coagulation process, leading to further complications. It is thus important to choose an accurate testing kit that evaluates the changes to the coagulation markers and thus gives an indication of the severity of liver disease.  Coagulation and fibrinolytic factors are universal indicators for detecting a liver impairment, the most accurate one being Prothrombin Time (PT). So, obviously it is critical to ensure that PT is evaluated with a quality diagnostic kit to ensure accuracy of reporting.  Criteria such as good ISI and precision in control (on a day-to-day basis), high linearity and correlation with reference reagents are essential while choosing a kit.  The Erba Protime LS from Transasia Bio-Medicals is a liquid stable, standardized, rabbit brain thromboplastin reagent with an excellent <1% CV and high linearity on serial dilution. Whe...