RECENT NEWS

Genotyping technology is able to detect COVID-19 variants more quickly and cheaply than ever before – according to research from the University of East Anglia and the UK Health Security Agency.

Thousands of people with sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia in England will now have access to a world-first ‘blood matching’ genetic test on the NHS to better match their blood transfusions, reducing the risk of side effects and offering more personalised care.

The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine has changed its name to the Association for Laboratory Medicine and unveiled its new logo and branding.

The Advancing Healthcare Awards recognise and celebrate the work of allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and those who work alongside them in support roles, with IBMS once again sponsoring the Award for Biomedical Scientist of the Year 2024.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest national influenza and COVID-19 surveillance report, which includes respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) data, showing that COVID-19 activity decreased across most indicators over the Christmas period.

The British Society For Microbial Technology (BSMT) has unveiled details of its annual conference. The 39th Annual Microbiology Conference will take place on Thursday 2 May at the RAF Museum, Hendon, with the title: ‘Rapid Diagnostics - warts and all.'

In the largest study of its kind, a newly published research paper reports how combining health data with whole genome sequence (WGS) data in patients with cancer can help doctors provide more tailored care for their patients.

Don Whitley Scientific (DWS) has launched a new gassing system for the rapid generation of multiple atmospheres (anaerobic, microaerobic and capnophilic) in gas jars.

OraSure Technologies a Pennsylvania, USA-based diagnostic firm and laboratory, has announced it is leading the Series B financing and has entered wide-ranging strategic distribution agreements with Sapphiros, a privately held consumer diagnostics portfolio company based in Boston, and certain of its related entities.

Epredia has launched US sales of SlideMate Laser, the newest addition to the company’s SlideMate portfolio of slide printers, used in pathology laboratories to identify and help track tissue samples.

In vitro diagnostics firm bioMérieux has announced the acquisition of LUMED, a software company that has developed a clinical decision support system to help hospitals optimise antimicrobial prescriptions and monitor healthcare-associated infections.

The IBMS and AstraZeneca have published a paper outlining how to create the capacity the NHS needs for the future of cancer testing.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has published a regulatory ‘roadmap’, pointing the way ahead for new measures to support safe access to medical technology including AI and diagnostics.

Digital pathology solutions firm Paige has announced the release of a groundbreaking AI product developed from Paige’s Pathology Foundation Model, Virchow. The new application can detect cancer across more than 17 different tissue types including skin, lung, and the gastrointestinal tract, along with multiple rare tumour types and metastatic deposits.

HORIBA Medical has launched the new HELO 2.0 high-throughput automated haematology platform which is CE-IVDR approved. It has been designed in consultation with customers to further improve and cover all needs of high-throughput fully automated haematology.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has announced it has developed the first commercially available anti-TRBC2 conjugated antibody for flow cytometry, providing greater clarity to clinical researchers in the identification of T-cell neoplasms in areas including cancer research.

Cleanroom microbiology company Cherwell has announced it is joining the AnalytiChem group of companies. Cherwell will join seven other businesses within the group, located across Europe, North America and Australia.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS have published an early market engagement to any organisations which are interested in the blood self-sampling/testing services for the build and private Beta phase of the digital NHS Health Check.

Following the publication of ISO 15189:2022 in December 2022, the first year of the three-year transition period is now complete and UKAS has issued an update on the transition process.

More than six million tests, scans and health checks have taken place at community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across the country, helping speed up diagnoses and treatments for NHS patients.