Qiagen tuberculosis test selected for use in NHS tenders

Qiagen has announced that its QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test has been chosen for use in tenders initiated by the NHS in England as part of its national tuberculosis control initiatives.

The tender was not awarded to a specific test, but to laboratories performing tests as a service. Qiagen currently anticipates supplying around 60 percent of the total annual test volumes in England through this agreement this tender.

Results from the NHS tender showed six Qiagen customers who offer the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test were chosen in various parts of the country, amounting to more than 80 percent of the testing volume.

QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus is the leading modern latent tuberculosis test. It is an interferon gamma release assay that requires a small blood sample, and can provide results within 24 hours.

Dr Masae Kawamura, Qiagen's senior director, medical and scientific affairs, said: "Together with our partners, we are proud to be working closely with public health authorities across England and around the world to stem the tide of rising tuberculosis cases."

Compared to other European countries, the incidence of tuberculosis in the UK is unusually common, with an infection rate four times as high as in the US.