Click image to view it in full size

Diagnostics are central to healthcare, but not accessible to all. A 2020 Lancet study states that 47% of the global population has little to no access to accurate diagnostics, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution across geographies and containing procurement costs. The COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for personal protective equipment, consumables for molecular diagnostics, vaccines, and POCT testing for SARS-Cov2. However, serious glitches in supply and logistics due to poor procurement strategies led to manufacturing delays and a surge in diagnostics and healthcare costs. Vendors of R&D prototyping, small-batch manufacturing services, and niche testing labs recorded the largest revenue drop across the value chain. The coronavirus also accelerated healthcare digitalization, including in vitro diagnostics (IVD). Engineering and technological innovations present opportunities to create new eCommerce platform solutions in the diagnostics segment, emphasizing global connectivity, transparency, access, scalability, and cost efficiencies. These features reduce the gaps in the IVD industry, improve access, and democratize diagnostics to empower providers, payers, and patients.