Roche Diagnostics has launched a campaign to promote its 183-strong panel of high-sensitivity assays, designed to provide test accuracy and efficiency for improved patient care.
The promotion follows concerns over the expense of treatments for chronic diseases such as osteoporosis and kidney disease and for infectious diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV.
The campaign focuses on three key disease areas: osteoporosis; chronic kidney disorder; and infectious disease.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), osteoporosis is second only to cardiovascular disease as a global health problem.
The incidence of osteoporosis is set to increase with the ageing of the population and in the UK one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone mainly because of poor bone health.
The range of Roche Elecsys bone-marker assays are set to help make a major impact on the way in which osteoporosis is treated in the UK.
With this detailed test, the consultant can gain a holistic overview of a patient's bone status giving clear guidance on the most appropriate treatment with the lowest level of side-effects.
Chronic kidney disorder effects one in 10 people aged 55-64, and one in two of those aged 75-plus.
Having chronic kidney disorder puts the individual at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, and therefore rapid diagnosis and treatment is critical.
The Roche Creatinine Plus enzymatic creatinine assay is a reliable test used on patients with chronic kidney disease.
It is designed to give extreme test accuracy in the monitoring of pre- and post-transplant patients.
Among the many users are St Thomas' Hospital London, and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust.
With each hospital performing more than 30,000 tests every month, the assay provides a more accurate assessment of renal function and has already enabled improved patient care.
Infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C and HIV remain at higher levels than the 1990s.
The Roche Serology portfolio offers a range of assays for detecting infectious diseases including hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV.
The latest components in this portfolio are the cobas Anti HCV, a rapid and sensitive screening assay for detecting antibodies of the HCV virus.
This allows for diagnosis in early stages of HCV, and other assays in the portfolio are used in the detection of rubella and syphilis.
Roche's 183-strong assay portfolio is available on an automated serum work area platform.
The tests provide consultants with the most accurate information available for making treatment decisions while increasing consolidation opportunities and improving testing efficiencies.
