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Catalyzing growth of the Indian diagnostic and medtech sector through enabling policies

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  The enabling role being played by the Government to bring preventive healthcare into focus has been notable, especially over the last two years.  The sun seems to be shining bright on the Indian diagnostic and medtech industry with the recent growth prospects that are giving an impetus and opening up a pleothera of opportunities for the Indian manufacturers and diagnostic service providers. The current scenario   Diagnostics is an essential part of the preventive healthcare. And in a country that houses 21% of the world’s disease burden, the importance of reliable, affordable and quality diagnostics cannot be ignored. Let’s not forget, a healthy working population contributes to strong economic development. A healthy country is a happy country. The good news, the domestic diagnostic industry, estimated at USD 9 bn (around INR 675 bn) is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~15% over the next 5 years. While there have been many growth enablers, the government’s role needs a special mention.

Small Bite Big Threat!

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  Remember Louie, the mosquito who was born out of the need to endorse a brand of repellent? Well, Louie may be wiped off our memories sooner or later, but the menace caused by mosquitoes is far from over! Malaria, dengue and chikungunya are a cause of major concern worldwide. Amongst them dengue, is listed among the top ten global health threats. A highly debilitating and fatal mosquito-borne arboviral disease, it is caused by the dengue virus (DENV) which has four serotypes, making it possible to get infected four times. According to the WHO, the incidence of dengue has grown exponentially around the world in recent decades with about half of the world’s population now at risk. However, 80% cases are generally mild and asymptomatic. 70% of the burden lies in Asia. Prevalence in India Dengue fever has become a huge concern in the last decade in India. It has been reported that 34% of the global cases of dengue are from India only*. In 2021, more than 1.9 lakh cases were recorded, acc

Chronic Liver disease – a public health priority

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  One of the largest organs in the body, the liver performs over 500 functions from fighting infections, blood clotting, production of hormones and proteins and others. Several conditions can affect its normal functioning and if left undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to liver failure. Liver disease constitutes a group of conditions that can be caused due to infections, inherited, obesity or alcohol abuse. Liver cirrhosis is a commonly used term that refers to the scarring of the liver over a course of time. As more scarred tissue replaces healthy tissue, it impacts the normal functioning of the liver leading to liver failure and liver cancer. Global prevalence of liver disease Liver disease is among the leading causes accounting for approximately 2 mn deaths per year worldwide. 50% of these are caused due to complications of cirrhosis while viral hepatitis accounts for the rest 50%.  Cirrhosis is the 11 th most common cause of death globally. The global prevalence of viral hepatiti

Choosing the best LIMS software

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  Modern-day, cutting edge, smart technologies are making laboratories ‘smart’ labs. A smart lab is an amalgam of the latest automation in equipment and the software that helps in data management and beyond. LIMS forms an integral part of smart labs and it is important to choose the best LIMS depending on the requirement of your lab. LIMS is a software that enables pathology labs to manage enormous data as well as lab samples effectively. Many labs need to upgrade or modify their existing LIMS to ensure optimum results with robust corporate information system infrastructure. A pathology laboratory has a plethora of choices to make with regards to selecting the best LIMS software. Choosing the best software ensures successful operation as well as management of LIMS maintenance and implementation. With this blog, we will look upon the best ways to choose a cost-effective software or LIMS: Automation : Automation is one of the reasons why pathology labs use LIMS. Efficient LIMS soft

Awareness and acceptability are fuelling the growth of the Rapid Diagnostic Tests market

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  The need for timely diagnosis as a first step in the treatment pathway is creating commendable growth opportunities for rapid tests.     For most people in India, the utility of rapid tests is limited to a pregnancy home test. However, these tests are also deployed as a screening tool for malaria, dengue and critical infections and most recently, COVID-19. In fact, the pandemic has generated widespread awareness for these tests making them a house-hold name. Growth drivers for the Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) market The global RDT market stood at USD 23 bn in 2020 and is expected to grow at a steady CAGR of 8.14% up to 2026*. In India too, RDTs are gaining ground. Several factors are contributing to the growth of the market: Prevalence of infectious diseases including vector-borne diseases: Along with NCDs, India faces challenge from a range of infectious diseases including vector-borne diseases. The good news is that as a country we have made progress to achieve the elimination goal

The diagnostic industry continues to stride ahead with AI technology

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  The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a rapid implementation of new technologies in the diagnostic industry. With an increasing number of tests creating a burden on pathologists, digitization has helped enhance clinical lab workflow.    A TV commercial for a famous brand of a ceiling fan shows the fan obeying the command of two young children when they instruct it to be put on/off. And let’s not forget our assistants Alexa and Siri who follow each order to the ‘T’! Have you recently watched a crime thriller on Netflix? Wait…you now have a whole list of recommendations based on your past selection! By now, most people have experienced AI in some capacity or the other… be it a watch powered by AI, a food ordering app or an air conditioner! Of all the industries it has cast its magical spell on so far, AI is transforming the healthcare industry like never before. According to a published report, the market for Al/ML will reach USD 52 bn in 2024 from USD 29 bn in 2019. The implementation o

Screening for Transfusion Transmitted Infections - an important aspect in achieving the elimination goals for India

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  By now, it’s a known fact that every two seconds someone needs blood and each year thousands of lives are saved by blood transfusions, globally. Having said that, Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTIs) are a global health concern. India has taken significant steps in line with the WHO guidelines to limit the prevalence of TTIs over the past few years . According to the latest data registered by WHO in 2020, of the 118.5 mn blood donations collected globally, 40% were collected in high-income countries, home to 16% of the world’s population. While this may give an indication of the number of patients benefitting through blood transfusions, another important aspect to consider is how many patients requiring transfusion get timely access to safe blood. Blood and blood components are life-saving but at the same time can often result in significant adverse events including immunologic reactions and infections, which can prove to be fatal. Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTIs) are p