UNITAID today released its 2015 HIV/AIDS Diagnostics Technology Landscape that summarizes the latest products and technologies to detect, stage and monitor HIV infection.
The Landscape covers technologies including instruments for laboratories, multi-purpose platforms and innovations at points of care to diagnose infants and to monitor viral load and CD4.
There is a growing demand for using simple, affordable, reliable and quality point-of-care (POC) diagnostics in settings with limited resources. Such diagnostics can improve access to high-quality antiretroviral therapy (ART) and encourage early detection and treatment of HIV. Over the last year, developers have responded to this need and a number of optimized solutions are emerging or are in the pipeline.
Latest scientific evidence shows that early treatment is beneficial. Accordingly WHO now recommends that ART be initiated amongst all people living with HIV, regardless of clinical stages defined by WHO and at any CD4 cell count. UNITAID examines the impact of these revised guidelines in the landscape report, as well as ongoing recommendations for viral load testing for treatment monitoring. In addition, issues of co-infections and the need for platforms that address different diseases are also addressed.
Besides diagnostics technologies, the Landscape also highlights market developments and issues, improvements in sample transport and connectivity networks, and global access procurement strategies to further reduce the price of and improve access to testing.
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