To achieve better growth rates in the professional care market a number of challenges must be overcome. Concern that many currently available POC tests do not give results as reliable as tests conducted in central laboratories is not without foundation. However, in emergency situations, where speed of diagnosis is critical, POC testing has a crucial role to play. Newer technologies such as DNA testing will close the accuracy gap, but there is still work to do persuading clinicians, regulators and health payers that the adoption of POC testing is the equivalent of lab testing.

The POC market grew by 11% in 2008 and was valued at US$12.6 billion. Growth has been driven by the wider adoption of POC technologies and new product launches

CURRENT PRODUCTS EVALUATED & FORECAST:

The three fastest growing sectors of the POC diagnostic market are infectious diseases, cancer and cardiovascular conditions. By what annual % will they grow to by 2014? What impact might continuous glucose monitoring have on the established blood glucose monitoring sector? There are 17 significant manufacturers of blood glucose monitoring tests. Who are they and what are the features of their products? In what condition is the emerging DNA testing technology likely to be applied initially and who are the companies involved? Who are the leading companies in the Haematology Analyser sector? What are the competitive threats to the anticoagulation POC testing sector? What are the prospects for POC cancer diagnostics and in which conditions does POC have a role? What regulatory development should manufacturers know about in South East Asian markets?

On the horizon... There is much innovation in the POC diagnostics industry aimed at increasing the applications for which POC diagnostics can be used and for improving the sensitivity and specificity of tests. Among the novel technologies this report considers, are...

DNA Testing Microfluidics Paramagnetic Particles Nanotechnology/MRT

Source: Espicom Business Intelligence Ltd