Researchers are celebrating Cervical Cancer Prevention week by creating a method to test for the human papilloma virus for women in low and middle income countries.
The research team is collaborating with QuantuMDx, a molecular diagnostics firm, and using the company’s Q-POC platform and its human papilloma virus (HPV) evaluations.
The Q-POC compresses a molecular diagnostics lab into a portable, affordable, and battery-operated device that people can use anywhere, from their homes to clinics. The test identifies if high-risk types of HPV is present in an individual.
HPV testing is being used more and more in cervical screening programs and can offer benefits over traditional Pap smear testing. This is especially true for those located in low-resource locations, where individuals don’t have access to professional doctors or medical equipment.
According to St. George’s University of London, it is thought that 300,000 deaths could be prevented if screenings were available to women, and they were tested and treated immediately.
Samples from patients at St. George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be used in the study. The sample will then be added to dilutants and placed in the machine. This process provides a diagnosis in under an hour.
“Advances in biotechnology are especially exciting when they aim to benefit the health and wellbeing of women who are in the blind spot of society,” said Professor Sanjeev Krishna, Professor of Medicine and Molecular Parasitology at St George’s, University of London. “This technology, developed by QuantuMDx, can impact on the lives and health of millions of women worldwide.”
