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Interview with Dr. Roberto De La Tour
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Dr. De La Tour: The fact is that we need ready to use devices with independently evaluated accuracy characteristics. In addition, technologies like those described in your publication should be useful to us only if they are usable in self-contained cartridges in a Point-of-Care instrument like the GeneXpert or the AlereQ.
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Are you familiar with the term “synthetic biology"?
Dr. De La Tour: No, I have not heard of it.
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Have you heard about the iGEM-Competition?
Dr. De La Tour: No, I do not.
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Are you familiar with the CRISPR/Cas system?
Dr. De La Tour: Just in the publication you kindly sent
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How trustworthy are home diagnostic tests like pregnancy in your opinion?
Dr. De La Tour: If they are independently evaluated, validated by governing bodies like WHO PQ, and used correctly (good box inserts), then they are fine. We are piloting in Swaziland self-tests for HIV using OraQuick by OraSure.
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Do you use diagnosis devices at home to determine a disease’s causative pathogen?
Dr. De La Tour: Only the pilot in Swaziland for HIV. See above.
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Would you recommend the usage of a diagnostic device at home instead of seeing a GP (not at all/in certain cases/yes)?
Dr. De La Tour: In certain cases
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Do you think people would be comfortable using a home diagnostic device for bacterial/viral infections?
Dr. De La Tour: I am not sure.
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Which price range (per test) would you consider desirable for the use of such a diagnostic device for your work in developing countries?
Dr. De La Tour: It should cost around 1 USD.
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Which advantages would you expect from such a test?
Dr. De La Tour: Reach for populations that do not come to the clinic
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