Abstract
Significant Product Benefits to Break Down Customer Reluctance toward
Adopting New Assays
End-user skepticism regarding the reliability of new assays for in-vitro
diagnostics can be remedied with effective demonstrations and customer
education about their remarkable benefits. Companies need to train lab
personnel on the use of these new tests as well as educate physicians about
the ability of these tests to improve the overall cost efficiency and patient
outcomes. These assays allow accurate and early diagnosis of life-threatening
diseases along with continuous patient monitoring. The evidence of their
success is the wider acceptance of newly developed tumor and prostrate
markers, breast cancer tests, and assay technologies known for higher
sensitivity and specificity, fast turn-around times, easy-to-use interfaces,
and low cross reactivity.
This Technical Insights study examines the impact of in-vitro diagnostics on
the healthcare market. It offers an analysis of recent developments in the
in-vitro diagnostics industry and identifies commercial applications. This
research service enables companies to align their positioning strategies to
benefit from these technologies.
Molecular Diagnostic Assays Show Immense Promise
Molecular diagnostics is the most promising area of growth in the in-vitro
diagnostics space, since it is now used to cure several infectious diseases.
"Companies are focusing on developing new assays in the human immunodeficiency
virus/hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV) area using innovative technologies," says
the analyst of this research service. "The healthcare industry is also
witnessing a shift toward personalized medicine and gene-based detection
tests, especially for cancer."
The platform for diagnosable diseases has broadened with scientists developing
molecular diagnostic assays for diseases such as cancer, AIDS, influenza, and
Alzheimer's. The continuous discovery of new gene targets has further helped
in expanding the base of curable diseases.
Inadequate Reimbursement Poses a Stiff Adoption Barrier for New Assays
Budgetary pressures have compelled governments to cut back on providing
reimbursements for new assays. Healthcare systems have to choose between
better clinical tests at higher prices and those that offer lesser sensitivity
and accuracy at lower prices. "Studies have demonstrated that reimbursement
from Medicare is severely flawed and that often, new assays with greater
benefits may be reimbursed with an equivalent or lesser amount than an
existing one," notes the analyst. "Moreover, the Medicare fee schedule has not
been revised due to inflation for 13 of the last 15 years and is not expected
to be updated again till the end of 2008."
Since Medicare coding and payment processes are time consuming,
non-transparent, and used inconsistently, physicians are left with little or
no incentive to prescribe new diagnostic assays having greater sensitivity and
speed.
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