LumiraDx Healthcare, a next-generation point-of-care diagnostics platform, has rolled out its C-Reactive Protein (CRP) point-of-care antigen test across India.
The company said the high-sensitive point-of-care test can be used in multiple clinical settings to help reduce undesired antibiotic prescribing that leads to antimicrobial resistance.
The CRP test requires a small sample of finger-prick blood to provide results within four minutes on the portable, lightweight LumiraDx platform.
LumiraDx India general manager Yogesh Singh said: “India, one of the world’s most populated nations has greatly been impacted by antimicrobial resistance.
“The availability of the LumiraDx CRP Point of Care Antigen Test can help to ensure that antibiotics are only given to patients who will benefit from them.”
According to the company, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a high-priority global issue and is directly related to the prescribing of antimicrobials and the development of AMR.
Reducing antibiotic prescriptions, managing patient compliance, and reducing self-medication play important roles in mitigating the global problem of drug-resistant pathogens.
In the clinical studies, point of care CRP testing has been shown to reduce antibiotic prescribing by 23 to 36% for respiratory tract infections (RTI), and 22% for COPD 2.
CRP testing can help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in primary care.
In India, CRP tests are conducted in the ICUs, paediatric departments, EDs, GPs, OPDs, and other clinical care settings.
For India’s government, AMR is a priority health issue and has rolled out an AMR stewardship programme, as a nationwide initiative, said the company.
LumiraDx chief innovation officer Nigel Lindner said: “Global emergence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens presents an urgent need for practical and innovative solutions to control and prevent the use of antibiotics, especially where unnecessary prescriptions, self-medication and poor compliance persist.
“Ensuring doctors’ access to crucial actionable CRP test results in care settings is a sustainable way to future-proof our system against antibiotic resistance.”
