The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated two innovative, indigenously developed diagnostic tools that promise to significantly enhance India’s tuberculosis (TB) detection capacity and accessibility. Early, accurate, and widespread testing is critical to TB elimination, and these new technologies aim to bridge existing diagnostic gaps while reducing costs. One of the key innovations is an open-system RT-PCR assay validated for lung TB detection, capable of running on any standard PCR machine, unlike conventional proprietary platforms.
This flexibility enables laboratories across India, including those without specialized equipment, to adopt rapid molecular TB testing. It can process up to 96 samples simultaneously and detect TB in adults through sputum samples. Experts estimate that its deployment could reduce testing costs by up to 80%, enabling large-scale screening…
