FIND is appointed as WHO Collaborating Centre

"We are delighted that WHO’s partnership with FIND has now been formalized through their appointment as a collaborating centre. Over the past decade, FIND’s excellent work is expediting development of new diagnostics and facilitating patient access to such new technologies for detection of TB and drug resistant TB. This is helping countries and WHO in the global fight against TB,” says Dr. Mario Raviglione, Director, WHO Global TB Programme.

Since its creation in 2003 FIND has introduced six new technologies that are revolutionizing the detection and treatment of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant strains. According to recent estimates, scale-up of these new tools in endemic countries is saving 300,000 lives per year.

“We are honored to have been designated as a collaborating centre and we look forward to deepening our collaboration with WHO on the evaluation and implementation of transformational TB diagnostics.” said Dr Catharina Boehme, FIND’s Chief Executive Officer.

Collaboration with WHO will include:

• Providing an open clinical trial platform for rapid collection and synthesis of evidence to create solid understanding of if, how and where to use diagnostics solutions in preparation for rapid uptake
• Providing technical support to countries to strengthen laboratory systems and support effective and appropriate implementation in accordance with the priorities of the WHO Global TB Programme; this includes, for example, training on WHO-endorsed technologies, quality and laboratory management, IT and eHealth solutions
• Coordinating a network of in-country experts for long-term laboratory capacity building

WHO is responsible for the development of policy guidance on the use of new TB diagnostics using a structured systematic process to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different technologies. This process looks at the suitability of positioning of different tests and technologies at different levels of the laboratory network along with operational and implementation considerations. FIND has been an important partner for conducting rigorous field trails of new technologies in different epidemiological settings in order to generate the evidence for their diagnostic accuracy and robustness in the settings of intended use.

FIND is an international non-profit organization that facilitates the development and delivery of much-needed diagnostic tests for diseases of poverty, including tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis C, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. FIND acts as a bridge between diverse expert groups to address barriers to innovation and implementation of comprehensive and tailor-made diagnostic solutions. FIND has active collaborations with over 100 partners, including research institutes/academia, Ministries of Health, NGOs, commercial partners, bilateral and multilateral organizations, especially WHO, and clinical trial sites.

Since it was first launched in 2003, FIND has delivered 11 new tests for diseases in its portfolio and created an enabling environment for countless more through specimen banks, reagent development, and better market visibility. FIND has also supported scale-up of diagnostics through implementation, quality assurance, and lab strengthening work. These achievements have helped increase the global prioritization of diagnostics and—in many cases— have revolutionized the landscape in their respective fields.

As part of the global health community’s drive to tackle and eliminate diseases of poverty, FIND plays an essential role in helping to ensure that patients are correctly diagnosed so that they can get the treatment that they need. Improved diagnosis means better health, less transmission and eventual disease elimination.

Source: FIND