Roche Offer Free Trial to UK and Irish Laboratories for Diabetes Testing

Roche are inviting laboratories in the UK and Ireland, using cobas c501, INTEGRA 400/800 and c111 analysers, to trial the HbA1c Generation 2 assay for free. Consolidating HbA1c testing onto an immunoassay platform can solve throughput problems and reduce costs for diabetes testing.

Diabetes is often in the news these days and almost all of us will know someone with the disease. Its prevalence in England alone is staggering – in 2004/5 3.3 per cent of the population were diagnosed diabetics, this increased to 4.1 per cent in 2008/91 and continues to grow. Reports from the National Heart Forum predict that type 2 diabetes rates are almost set to double by 20202. But the level of people with undiagnosed diabetes is also worrying. According to a report in 2006, over 500,000 people in the UK could be facing undiagnosed cases of diabetes, with even more at a great risk of developing the condition due to pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome3.

The associated testing involved in diagnosis and monitoring of the condition is a major cost to the NHS. In 2006 the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reported that “Ten per cent of NHS resources today are used to treat diabetes. By 2010 the estimate is that this could double”4.

In the United States and Europe, HbA1c testing is undertaken routinely on immunoassay platforms – but this is less common in the UK. As the government is encouraging the NHS to adopt best practice whilst seeking cost savings, laboratories using the Roche Tina-quant® [a] HbA1c Generation 2 assay can provide efficient, accurate, and cost-effective results.

With over 20 years experience and competence of in-house HbA1c development, the Roche immunoassay HbA1c testing method is used throughout the world. Our established reference method and reference material, with higher specificity and accuracy, means that HPLC is no longer the only method that should be considered for HbA1c testing. Results have certified traceability to DCCT and IFCC reference methods, and due to the advanced assay design, no interpretation of the results is necessary even in the presence of known haemoglobinopathy interferences.

The Roche Tina-quant® [a] HbA1c Generation 2 assay can easily be consolidated onto cobas® c501, INTEGRA® 400/800 and c111 analysers - streamlining workflow, saving costs and providing faster throughput and result turnaround times,. Roche’s propriety connectivity solutions also mean that sharing of results across mulitiple sites is fast and easy.

Roche are inviting laboratories in the UK and Ireland, using cobas c501, INTEGRA 400/800 and c111 analysers, to trial the assay and experience its benefits for themselves by applying for a free HbA1c evaluation kit. To enrol as an evaluation site (terms and conditions apply), or for more technical details about the assay, please contact your local Roche representative or ring 01444 256000. Enrolment closes on 30 November 2010.