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Why qPCR & phenotypic testing must be displaced? - Part I The Problem: Infectious diseases remain a significant public health threat. Particularly, in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as India. €300 Billion / 27 Trillion INR! {1} - That’s the yearly economic impact of just one disease (TB) in India, Africa and Brazil. - Determining the right treatment for infectious diseases can take anywhere from 7 to 50 days, requiring multiple lab visits as doctors try to build a complete picture. - The current cycle of prescribing without clear diagnosis fuels Anti Microbial Resistance (AMR). It is one of the most pressing global health challenges, at our doorstep. Currently, a combination of qPCR and phenotypic testing is the gold standard for diagnosing drug resistance. - However, this approach is both time-consuming and limited in scope. The delay not only prolongs patient suffering but also contributes to the misuse of antibiotics. - The misuse and overuse of antibiotics have accelerated the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens. - The WHO estimates that AMR currently causes at least 700,000 deaths per year worldwide, a number that could rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken. You might be asking, is there a more efficient way to address this problem? Imagine if we could eliminate the guesswork from prescribing treatments right from the first visit... Picture this: with just one sample, during a single clinic visit, clinicians receive a detailed report that not only identifies the infection but also provides a complete drug resistance profile. - This would allow them to make informed, data-driven decisions and prescribe the right antibiotics immediately. - Such an advancement could revolutionise how we combat the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance. Imagine diagnosing infections and drug resistance in ONE clinic visit. I’m working on it—reply with your thoughts or follow for updates! {1} https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/tuberculosis-prevention-brings-economic-gains-says-who-2024a10006h9?form=fpf {2} (https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/no-time-to-wait-securing-the-future-from-drug-resistant-infections-en.pdf?sfvrsn=5b424d7_6&download=true)