Covid-19: Molecular testing capacity expands in Asia-Pacific

Article tags Covid-19 testingIn-vitro diagnosticsMolecular Diagnostics (MDx)AsiaIVD GatewayMolecular Diagnostics (MDx)

Molecular diagnostics (MDx) testing capacities and capabilities in Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries have rapidly improved to meet the exponential surge in demand for covid-19 testing.

More than 14,000 additional MDx labs were set up in APAC in 2020. Existing MDx labs also procured more instruments, further driving infrastructure improvements across the region. APAC also trained and upskilled more staff to manage the increase in demand, equipment and labs.

Covid-19 reveals underdevelopment of molecular testing landscape in developing APAC countries

Prior to the onset of the pandemic in 2020, differences in molecular testing capabilities between developed and developing APAC countries were significant. MDx are cost-intensive and technically complicated. In APAC, developing countries are mostly reliant on culture-based microbial identification and immunoassays.

In developed countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, molecular testing was already a widely-used technique, such as in the screening of donated blood for virulent agents, pap-smear tests and sexually-transmitted disease (STD) viral load testing. 

4 ways how APAC is expanding its molecular testing capacity

For more on the MDx market, download the white paper on After covid-19: the future of molecular diagnostics in Asia-Pacific.

Mon, 07th Feb 2022 Article tags Covid-19 testingIn-vitro diagnosticsMolecular Diagnostics (MDx)AsiaIVD GatewayMolecular Diagnostics (MDx)