Media Monitoring: 30th July – 6th August

AI to be used by the NHS to identify patients who have increased risk of hepatitis C

The NHS is to use artificial intelligence to detect, screen and treat people at risk of hepatitis C, as the health service aims to rid the UK of the disease by 2030
AI will identify patients who may have the virus by scanning their health records to find risk factors, such as an HIV diagnosis
Those identified will then be invited to see a GP and could then be tested further. A deal struck by the NHS with three pharma companies will allow those diagnosed to receive treatment

Research shows immune system can help detect biliary duct cancer

Groundbreaking research could pave the way for the early detection of biliary duct cancer
Biliary duct cancer is so deadly because it is difficult to diagnose, and most patients are only diagnosed when it is terminal
Researchers looked at over 200 blood samples from people with and without biliary duct cancer and conducted microRNA analyses on immune cells in the blood
The study showed that biliary duct cancer causes the immune cells to change behaviour, resulting in a unique expression of microRNA molecules in the patient’s blood. These changes enabled the researchers to diagnose biliary tract cancer much earlier than with existing tests

New MedTech Directorate Director announced by the Department of Health

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed David Lawson as the new permanent director of the Medical Technologies (MedTech) Directorate, replacing Chris Stirling
The MedTech Directorate was set up by DHSC in 2021 after significant supply chain issues, caused by COVID-19 in 2020, showed the need for sustainable and effective procurement processes and strategies for medical devices

Smartphone clip able to rapidly detect Zika virus from a blood sample

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have created an instrument which can be clipped on to a smartphone to test for Zika virus in a single droplet of blood
A cartridge, which contains reagents required to detect the virus, is inserted into the instrument to perform the test while the instrument is attached to a smartphone. Once the patient adds a drop of blood, one set of chemicals break open the viruses and the blood cells within five minutes
The test is incredibly rapid, with the entire process takes 25 minutes

NHS Supply Chain: Driving Forward a New Target Operating Model

Andrew New, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Supply Chain, recently shared his thoughts with the National Health Executive, on how he wants to deliver a new Target Operating Model (TOM) for NHS Supply Chain, which will create capacity, reduce costs and support a high performing health care system
The NHS has changed since the current NHS Supply Chain operating model went (fully) live in 2019, with having to respond to a global pandemic, new focus on elective recovery and the move to integrated care systems (ICSs)
Since early 2021 we have been working with stakeholders, including NHS partners and suppliers, to shape the next iteration of our TOM and have been understanding how different sectors operate like retail and e-commerce etc, as these sectors require a slightly different set of procurement skills

NHS hospital waiting time pledge will not be met, ministers admit

A key NHS pledge ensuring that all waiting at least two years for hospital care would be treated by last month has not been met, ministers have conceded
Ex-health secretary Sajid Javid made the promise in February when launching the NHS’s “elective recovery plan”, which aimed to tackle a record 6.6 million-patient backlog in England for those awaiting a procedure
The director of NHS England’s elective recovery programme, Rob Stone, recently hinted during a meeting with local health service leaders that a similar commitment covering those waiting 18 months will probably also be missed

Bio-Rad Laboratories to buy Curiosity Diagnostics in a $170m deal

Bio-Rad Laboratories has agreed to acquire Curiosity Diagnostics from Poland-based Scope Fluidics in a deal worth up to $170m
Curiosity Diagnostics is currently developing a sample-to-answer, quick diagnostics polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform, PCR|ONE, for the molecular diagnostics market
The company is noted for its wide range of innovative products for the clinical diagnostic and life science research markets

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, steps down

The Government’s chief scientific adviser, who was instrumental in helping the country navigate the pandemic, is to step down
Sir Patrick Vallance’s five-year term ends in April 2023, but his successor has yet to be named

BioIVT Announces Promotion of Dr. Richard Haigh to CEO

Dr. Haigh joined BioIVT in May 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and brings over 27 years’ experience in the life science research and diagnostics space covering products, consumables, and services, including over 15 years with Thermo Fisher Scientific/Life Technologies