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Diagnostics

 

Diagnostics

Biotech diagnostic tools use genetic information to help doctors detect and diagnose conditions faster and with greater ease and accuracy. Doctors can now tailor disease prevention and treatment to individual patients using an individual’s genetic information.

Know What’s Wrong Faster

Biotechnology has helped develop more than 1,200 diagnostic tests in clinical use today. With only a blood sample or mouth swab, many of these tests are able to diagnose conditions faster and with greater accuracy than ever before. The faster a condition can be diagnosed, the quicker a patient can begin treatment. Many of these diagnostic tools are now portable, allowing physicians to conduct tests, interpret results and determine treatment on-the-spot. These tools have had a profound effect on access to health care in developing countries, where the health care infrastructure is often undeveloped.

Cures Designed Just for You

The genetic research of biotech scientists is fueling the development of treatments tailored to the individual patient and their specific circumstances. Doctors can now use a patient’s genetic information to predict a patient’s likelihood of developing a specific disease, as well as determine the safest and most effective treatment for a patient. Biotech diagnostic tests prevent overdose fatalities, saving countless lives each year. Biotech scientists developed a diagnostic test to determine a patient’s resistance to the cancer treatment Gleevec®. Another biotech test helps physicians determine the correct dosage of a chemotherapy drug for pediatric leukemia.

Predicting Your Health Future

Biotech scientists have developed genetic tests that can identify patients predisposed to developing various cancers, osteoporosis, emphysema, type II diabetes and asthma. With an understanding of their level of risk, patients have the opportunity to take preventive steps and avoid disease triggers such as poor diet and smoking. For example, research has shown that a specific, harmful and hereditary genetic mutation can greatly increase a woman's risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. A biotech tool now exists that can detect this mutation with a simple blood test.