Secure storage and transmission/collection of data from field-based rapid diagnostic devices

Traditionally diagnostic tests have been carried out in laboratories but technological advances coupled with political, social and economic drivers have given rise to a variety of tests that are carried out at the point of sampling - often referred to as Point-of-Care (POC) tests. A number of POC devices are already on the market. They utilise different technologies and cover a wide variety of human and animal health areas. An extension of POC testing is self-testing; it now seems many years ago that pregnancy test kits became available to the public, but there are many other at-home kits being developed.New opportunities continue to emerge for the development of rapid hand-held or field-based devices for use by health and veterinary professionals. These sorts of devices have strong policy implications and their design features are of great interest to policymakers. Important issues arise, especially the question of who obtains, views, and shares the test results, particularly of tests for pathogens with health implications for UK citizens and livestock. Strategic decisions on health management and responses to emergencies cannot be delivered without access to key data.

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