E-DRUG: First-ever WHO list of essential diagnostic tests
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Executive summary: World Health Organization Model List of Essential In Vitro Diagnostics.
First edition (2018). Report of the first Strategic Advisory Group on In Vitro Diagnostics (SAGE-IVD)
WHO headquarters, Geneva, 16th 20 April 2018. Available at
http://www.who.int/medical_devices/diagnostics/EDL_ExecutiveSummary_15may.pdf
The World Health Organization today published its first Essential
Diagnostics List, that is a catalogue of the tests needed to diagnose the
most common conditions as well as a number of global priority diseases.
This document may be useful for many of us and/or our colleagues, whether
working in a lab, in clinical services, as program responsible, purchasers,
etc. Thus, I warmly suggest taking 3’ to read more, and see whether this is
useful for you, or if it may be forwarded to potentially interested
colleagues of yours.
As described by the WHO
see
http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/15-05-2018-first-ever-
who-list-of-essential-diagnostic-tests-to-improve-diagnosis-and-treatment-
outcomes
This first list concentrates on *in vitro*tests, and contains 113
products: 58 tests for detection and diagnosis of a wide range of common
conditions, and 55 tests for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of
'priority' diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B and C,
human papillomavirus and syphilis.
The WHO also notes that some of the tests are particularly suitable for
primary health care facilities, where laboratory services are often poorly
resourced and sometimes non-existent; for example, tests that can rapidly
diagnose a child for acute malaria or glucometers to test diabetes.
These tests do not require electricity or trained personnel. Other tests
are more sophisticated and therefore intended for larger medical
facilities.
For each category of test, the following is specified: the type of test
and intended use, format, and if appropriate for primary health care or for
health facilities with laboratories. In addition, there are links to WHO
Guidelines or publications and, when available, to WHO-prequalified
products.
Noteworthy, similar to the WHO Essential Medicines List, the Essential
Diagnostics List is intended to serve as a reference for countries to
update or develop their own list of essential diagnostics. In order to
truly benefit patients, national governments will need to ensure
appropriate and quality-assured supplies, training of health care workers
and safe use. To that end, WHO will provide support to countries as they
adapt the list to the local context”. And, also similar to the WHO
Essential Medicines List, the Essential Diagnostics List will be updated
and expanded on a regular basis.
Have a nice reading,
Raffaella
Raffaella Ravinetto
Institute of Tropical Medicines
Antwerpen, Belgium
Raffaella Ravinetto <rravinetto@itg.be>