Roll Back Malaria Partnership: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs)

WHO Malaria Diagnostics Product Testing Programme – Call for expressions of interest (EOI) from manufacturers for product submission to Round Two

World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) for submission of antigen-detecting malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to the WHO Malaria Diagnostics Product Testing Programme. Product testing will be undertaken at CDC in Atlanta, USA, against a panel of wild-type, culture-derived and parasite negative samples. Manufacturers intending to enter products into the programme are required to submit expressions of interest to WHO by 14th November 2008, in order to participate in the second round of product testing. Testing is expected to commence in April 2009. Adequate performance in WHO product testing will be necessary for products to be eligible for future WHO procurement, and prequalification.

The product testing programme is part of the joint programme for evaluation of Malaria diagnostics of WHO and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).
Further details, and requirements for product inclusion, can be found at WHO RDT web site and/or by email from mal-rdt@wpro.who.int.

Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests RDTs assist in the diagnosis of malaria by detecting evidence of malaria parasites in human blood.

Malaria RDTs, also known as "Dipsticks" have potential to greatly improve the quality of management of malaria infections in the tropics and sub-tropics when the main alternative form of diagnosis, high quality microscopy, is not readily available.

Detailed guidance can be found in the publication The Use of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests on the WHO RDT website.