Thread by @deeksj

SO what’s this POSITIVE news about medical tests?

Said it would be Monday, but actually the news broke this afternoon. So an early release from my tease …

Thanks for sharing your hopes about what it might be … I enjoyed many of them … but none were that close.

1/10

For me, positive news would be knowing

1) High quality tests are developed using the best expertise from industry and universities

2)Tests are evaluated in strong robust studies to work out whether they work in the real world for the purposes to which they are put

2/10

3) Study findings report the truth about whether they do more good than harm, and not spun for profit, popularity or reputation

4) Tests are developed to meet the greatest public health needs

5) Tests are affordable and available in the populations that need them most

3/10

This is something far fetched compared to the profiteering, politicised testing policies which we are encountering in the UK.
But compared to much of the world, at least we have access to tests (not that we seem to know which ones to buy and how best to use them).

4/10

So the good news is that a UK test manufacturing company is going to do exactly 1-5.

Mologics, backed by substantial funding from the Soros and Gates Foundations (together with others) is a leading part of a major new Social Enterprise named

“Global Access Health”

5/10

Mologics will no longer be a "for profit" company, but aim to produce the cheapest best lateral flow tests to meet public health needs.

The details are in the FT here:

6/10

ft.com/content/6cec53…

I’ve always been impressed by Mologics approach to test evaluation – ensuring they are properly evaluated and results not overinterpreted

They have done and transparently reported some of the best studies of their tests I have seen from biomarker companies.

7/10

But now MAJOR KUDOS to Mark Davis and @joefitchett for taking the company away from the profiteering business model, and for the Foundations who have seen the importance of funding this.

8/10

So, I am sorry if you were expecting that the positive news would be for here in the UK.

But maybe the news that people in our country put their expertise out there for the best purposes ahead of any profit can make up for some of the meanness of the ODA cuts.

9/10

And I am sure that many will join in wishing Mologics, Mark Davis and @joefitchett well on this venture.

Good luck. 👏👏👏

10/10

But should have been @JosephFitchett!