2 studies on dev't of diagnostic kits for HIV detection 'ongoing', to be completed by 2022 —DOST
Two local studies on the development of diagnostic kits for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus or HIV are “ongoing” and are expected to be completed by next year, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said.

DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said the agency and its Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) supported the two ongoing studies being implemented by the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin, she said the DOST-PCHRD-supported studies “are expected to end by 2022 and hopefully, be clinically validated by 2023.”
“One aims to develop an affordable and accurate near point- of-care diagnostic kit or platform for the rapid detection of HIV resistance to Lamivudine and other antiretrovirals,” she said.
Lamivudine is used to treat hepatitis B and it is found to decrease the amount of HIV and hepatitis B in the blood.
Guevara said the other project “aims to design and develop a paper-based diagnostic device for the detection of HIV drug resistance mutations.”
The DOST disclosed last month that the public can expect the launch of newly developed diagnostic test kits for other communicable diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, and HIV by the end of 2022 to 2023.
During the Laging Handa briefing on Nov. 12, Guevara said there were “five to eight ongoing projects” on the development of diagnostic test kits for communicable diseases.