Center Activities

Clinical testing of prototype point-of-care diagnostics

The Center also strives to accelerate the development and deployment of point-of-care diagnostic tests essential to low-resource settings by conducting laboratory and field-based clinical testing of selected prototype point-of-care diagnostic tests.

PATH has extensive experience conducting laboratory validation and field-testing of early prototype devices. Field verification testing through the Center is a collaborative effort between PATH, the field site evaluators, and technology developers to solicit ongoing feedback on test performance, the appropriateness of target-detection analytes, and product usability and acceptability. The selection of each field site depends on disease prevalence and the suitability of that setting for each test, as well as the availability of local partners with the appropriate expertise and clinical infrastructure.

In 2009, the Center accepted one proposal for technical and financial support for clinical testing, and that project is ongoing.

The Center remains interested in learning about promising technologies at an intermediate stage of development development (beyond the proof of concept level that have some data from clinical specimens). Please share your activities with us through our contact page.

Photo: PATH/Jennifer Fox.