Rapid diagnostic test accessibility considerations for professional use and self-tests

Overview

In the last few decades, rapid diagnostic medical tests, such as those for HIV, or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), have become widespread in laboratories, clinics, pharmacies, and homes around the world. The uptake of these new innovations, which usually provide accurate results at high speed and low cost, is a cause for celebration. However, millions of people around the globe still experience significant barriers in obtaining and effectively using them. People often face challenges with small or difficult to read fonts, confusing symbols, or physical difficulties with the test kit. These accessibility issues can affect everyone but can have a more serious impact on the health outcomes of millions of persons with disabilities, older adults and other marginalized populations.

The Rapid diagnostic test accessibility considerations for professional use and self-tests contains key considerations for ensuring accessibility and usability of rapid diagnostic tests and their components by all users.

All developers and manufacturers, regulatory agencies, procurement agencies, implementing partners, donors and funders of diagnostic research and diagnostic innovations, have an incentive to ensure that diagnostics can be useable by everyone who need them. This document is an important step towards accelerating an equitable delivery of healthcare services as part of global efforts to advance universal health coverage and achieve health for all.