Diagnostics companies

Lack of access to diagnostics costs lives

Diagnostics and monitoring devices are an essential element of the health system and a critical part of the continuum of care. Whether performed on blood, tissue or other patient samples, diagnostic tests are a vital source of information for healthcare providers and patients. They help determine which treatments are needed and can be used to monitor and manage disease. 

In developed markets, diagnostics form an integral part of decision-making at every step along the care pathway. However, in low- and middle-income countries, diagnosis remains one of the weakest links in the care cascade, leading to unnecessary suffering and deaths. This discrepancy became abundantly clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, with high-income countries having testing rates for SARS-CoV-2 ten times higher than low- and middle-income countries.

The diagnostics sector is highly fragmented, and there is a lack of joined-up strategy for improving the availability of diagnostics in lower-income countries. This results in gaps in supply and access across multiple therapeutic areas, including infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal health, and noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Diagnostic tools play an essential role in combatting antimicrobial resistance

As part of our broader effort to confront global health challenges, the Access to Medicine Foundation has been working to move companies in response to the challenge of drug-resistant infections. With 'superbugs' spreading at an alarming rate, urgent action on antimicrobial resistance is needed now more than ever.  

A key facet of this work is engaging the diagnostic manufacturers developing tools to reduce the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials. Diagnostic tools essential for treating infections appropriately are often unavailable or inaccessible, especially in LMICs – a challenge further compounded by ongoing constraints in global health financing and availability issues for antimicrobials themselves. This gap in access to diagnostic tools weakens surveillance, delays outbreak detection and undermines efforts to contain the spread of resistant pathogens, directly threatening global health security.  

Given the pertinent need to strengthen access to diagnostics – and coordinate key actors to boost availability – the Foundation is working to convene a diverse group of senior stakeholders for an expert session on the sidelines of the 2026 World Health Assembly. The session will explore pathways to achieving equitable access to diagnostic tools in LMICs. In tandem, we are researching initiatives among manufacturers in the field, gathering insights to inform a 2027 report showcasing good practices and successful partnership models that are already moving the needle.

It is time to realise the potential of diagnostics for global health

Diagnostics companies play a critical role in providing patients with a comprehensive spectrum of care. In many therapeutic areas, such companies hold the key to increasing access to scientific innovation in low- and middle-income countries.

There are four key areas where diagnostics companies can step up to improve access to medicine:

• Invest in global health R&D to adapt existing technologies to the needs of low- and middle-income countries and plan ahead for access to new technologies

• Secure manufacturing capacity and quality at multiple global sites to ensure supply

• Prioritise underserved populations and ensure diagnostics are available to all, from large organisations to individuals paying out-of-pocket

• Facilitate diagnostic capacity building by supporting local experts in the use and maintenance of equipment

How we work to improve access to diagnostics

At the Access to Medicine Foundation, we work to incentivise diagnostics companies to do more to make their technologies and products available for people living in low- and middle-income countries. We have been engaging with several diagnostics companies for a number of years already in the context of our Access to Medicine Index and are currently expanding our work in this sector.

We engage strategically in the diagnostics space to deliver the maximum impact. Although the diagnostics sector is fragmented overall, several important therapeutic areas are dominated by a few key players. This provides an opportunity to apply our tried-and-tested model to spur large companies to make steps towards improved access.

By forging constructive partnerships with local and global players, we can unlock the potential of diagnostics for all.