Why UK diagnostics deserves a little more praise

In his first editor's column, Ian Bolland highlights the importance to the UK's diagnostics industry to the country's economy, having been at the forefront of the COVID-19 testing programme. 

I am delighted to take on the editor’s role of Med-Tech Innovation News at a time when, from an industry perspective, it is fascinating to watch how it will change and develop as a result of this pandemic. I look forward to working with individuals and businesses in the sector for however long COVID-19 is a factor in our lives, and beyond.

Certainly, interest has piqued in life sciences a result, and I have written extensively for our website on certain impacts of our sector. Supply chains, manufacturing, IP, AI and digital technologies are all topics that I’ve tried to cover online.

But one thing I would like to address here is diagnostics. In one of his many briefings during this crisis health secretary Matt Hancock has said the UK has become a world leader during the crisis but said the sector had to be built up from scratch, stating his desire that he would have liked the UK to have had the capabilities of Germany when it came to testing for the virus.

From scratch seems slightly disingenuous. While one can sympathise at a desire to have larger lab capacity at the time at the scale of Germany, the headline can allow for something completely different to be thought of. Diagnostics is a key part of a robust sector of the UK economy where innovation is thriving. Lab capacity should have been part of the planning for a pandemic, and maybe that capacity could have been gradually built up if a virus planning group involving senior ministers wasn’t disbanded – as an investigation from the Daily Mail found.

That combination could have allowed the government to get on top of the virus in a more commanding way than one that sees us with a regrettably high death toll. In 2018 the Office for Life Sciences reported that medtech accounted for £24 billion in turnover. The largest segment of the sector happened to be in vitro diagnostics. Combined with other segments including single use technology and orthopaedic devices – who were in second and third place in this particular table – they accounted for 27% of all turnover in the core medtech sector. In vitro diagnostics was also the second largest segment after digital health for employment. Again, hardly nothing.

Furthermore, PerkinElmer has had a presence in Wales for over 50 years and has worked with the devolved administration in Cardiff to build up capabilities – an example of using a long-lasting relationship to work in the interests of all to source testing kits and lab equipment.

Though Hancock is responsible for the response in England, a glance over the border provides an example of a great diagnostics industry in the UK, which is willing to work for the common good. A bit more planning and less self-congratulation from politicians leading the response to urgent crises going forward probably wouldn’t go amiss.