BIVDA represents the industry sector who manufacture and distribute diagnostic tests to the NHS. These rely on a high level of automation and so industry has service engineers and technical specialists working in NHS pathology laboratories alongside NHS staff to ensure that the equipment is maintained and allowing diagnostic test results to be issued without delay.  Doris-Ann Williams, BIVDA’s Chief Executive said “This equipment will have been subjected to infected samples and ...

£149m has been allocated by Government to support increased rapid coronavirus testing in care home settings. Due to the severe vulnerability of care home residents and the need for avoiding staff-patient virus transmission, care homes have been identified as a key priority in the Government’s COVID-19 testing strategy. Staff will now be asked to undergo two rapid virus tests per week, this is in addition to the present once-a-week PCR test they complete to detect potential COVID-19 i...

A new programme leader has been confirmed for the Government’s project of building 40 new UK hospitals by 2030. Natalie Forrest, a registered NHS nurse with a wealth of construction, health and project management experience, will head up the construction initiative. Forrest worked most recently as the Chief Executive of Chase Farm Hospital and has 30 years experience working within the NHS. Recently, she led the rapid construction and operationalisation of the NHS Nightingale facility in r...

BIVDA has issued a Press Release on the MHRA's decision to grant exceptional use authorisation for NHS Test and Trace's self-testing device.  BIVDA Chief Operating Officer – Helen Dent said; “We welcome the exceptional use authorisation for this self-test device to be used as part of the wider strategy to test for and control COVID-19, but emphasise that this is part of the solution and other methods and laboratory tests remain vital. This technology has a...

A short statement has been released by BIVDA’s Chief Operating Officer Helen Dent on the COVID-19 border closures.  Helen said; “Similarly to pharmaceutical companies, BIVDA members have planned contingencies in place for border emergencies in line with business continuity planning, which includes buffer stock and the ability to re-route supplies. Therefore, the provision of Diagnostic testing supplies will continue. We continue to monitor events and suppliers are working w...

LEX Diagnostics is developing a point-of-care PCR platform that is a major improvement in speed, cost and ease-of-use over all existing molecular diagnostics in the market today. Originally designed as an influenza & RSV platform specifically for use in primary care, LEX is playing its part in getting us through the current Covid pandemic with a combined flu/Covid test providing an answer in around 5 minutes – even for low viral load samples. The entire process from swab elution throug...

New Oxford AHSN study demonstrates how primary care point-of-care testing can avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and improve patient pathways

Alpha Laboratories Ltd. (Eastleigh, UK) and shuttlepac Ltd. (Telford, UK) are delighted to announce that they have established an exclusive distribution partnership, in the UK and Ireland, that will bring new developments in UN3373 sample packaging solutions.

New COVID-SeroKlir SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody test kit is one of first to detect both the presence and precise levels of COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies

TÜV SÜD Product Service has issued their first In Vitro Medical Device Regulation (IVDR) certificate since receiving notification in June 2020 – and the first IVDR certificate worldwide. The IVDR, which came into force in May 2017, must be implemented by late May 2022.