Real time inspection (POCT)

In 2020, the sudden COVID-19 brought great challenges and challenges to the whole medical system. In the face of sudden public health events, the medical community and the industry launched a joint attack and effectively controlled the domestic epidemic at the fastest speed.

In this anti epidemic war, laboratory medicine has made great contributions, especially the point of care testing products and equipment represented by POCT. Wang Qingtao, chairman of the branch of laboratory medicine of Beijing Medical Association and President of POCT equipment technology branch, said in an interview with the health community, "laboratory medicine has made outstanding contributions during the epidemic prevention and control this year. In particular, the rapid detection technology of nucleic acid has won valuable time for the fight against the epidemic while improving the efficiency of epidemic prevention and control."

POCT (point of care testing) is a kind of laboratory medicine method with the characteristics of fast, simple use and saving comprehensive cost. POCT Equipment Technical Committee of China Medical Equipment Association defines it as a test method that is carried out at the sampling site and uses portable analytical instruments and supporting reagents to quickly obtain test results. It is not difficult to see that POCT has two key elements: spatially, the test around the patient does not need a professional laboratory, that is, "bedside test"; In terms of time, the detection efficiency is high and the result time is short, so "real-time inspection" can be carried out.

During the epidemic period, the emergence of a variety of POCT products at home and abroad provided a key time element for the "snatching" of the anti epidemic. In February, the 14 COVID-19 IgM rapid detection kit was developed, and the test results could be generated at the fastest 15 minutes. The efficiency of screening kit was greatly enhanced by its high efficiency, simplicity, sensitivity and specificity.

In contrast to the gold standard for COVID-19 detection, the New Coronavirus 2019-nCoV detection kit of Chinese big gene needed 3 hours to produce the test results. In acute and severe cases, the rapid detection of antibodies has become a powerful complement to the gold standard for nucleic acid detection. Academician Zhong Nanshan has repeatedly affirmed the outstanding contribution of rapid antibody detection in anti epidemic, "which can help us quickly separate normal people from sick people."

Under the background that the state vigorously promotes graded diagnosis and treatment and third-party testing, POCT has the characteristics of short testing time, flexible testing space and low professional requirements for testers, which will be more attractive to special departments of hospitals such as fever clinics and ICUs, as well as grass-roots medical and health institutions and third-party testing institutions. It can be predicted that in the context of post epidemic situation, POCT industry is expected to continue to ride the wind and waves.