NATIONAL
ESSENTIAL DIAGNOSTICS LIST - GOVERNANCE
News:
ICMR invites suggestions
for revising national essential diagnostics list
What's
in the news?
●
The Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body in India for the
formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, has invited
suggestions for the revision of the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL)
by February 29, 2024.
Key
takeaways:
●
It is unclear whether the finalisation of
the NEDL will lead to price capping of diagnostic tests in line with drugs.
NEDL
and India:
●
India developed its first NLEM in 1996.
●
The NLEM plays an important role in ensuring accessibility of affordable,
quality medicines at all levels of healthcare.
●
Since 2018, the World Health Organisation
(WHO) recommends the development and implementation of a National Essential
Diagnostics List (NEDL) to facilitate the availability of In-Vitro Diagnostics
(IVDs) across the various tiers of the healthcare pyramid, facilities with or
without a laboratory onsite.
●
India’s NEDL was based on consideration of
the disease burden data across different states of the country, in alignment
with the national programmes.
National
Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL):
●
The list contains 117 general laboratory tests for diagnosis of a broad
range of common conditions that include both communicable and non-communicable
disease.
Released
by - Indian
Council for Medical Research (ICMR)
Tests:
●
The list includes general laboratory tests
for a broad range of common conditions for the diagnosis of communicable and non-communicable diseases,
disease-specific tests for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, dengue, malaria and
area-endemic diseases, and imaging tests such as X-rays, computerised
tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and ultrasound sonography.
Essential
Diagnostic Tests - Definition:
●
Essential diagnostic tests are defined as
those "that satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the population and
are selected with due regard to disease prevalence and public health relevance,
evidence of efficacy and accuracy, and comparative cost-effectiveness”.
●
The test should focus on conditions with a
high disease burden or having significant public health relevance, where the
introduction of a diagnostic test will have a clear impact on disease diagnosis
and management.
Hospitals
Covered:
●
India is the first country to release the NEDL.
●
The list enumerates the minimum number of
tests that should be available at various levels of healthcare facilities,
including – Village level, Sub Health
Centre or Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs),
Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-District Hospital (SDH), and District
Hospital (DH).
Criteria
for Inclusion in National Essential Diagnostics List:
●
Disease
Burden: The test should focus on conditions with a high
disease burden.
●
Public
Health Impact: Emphasize tests with a clear impact on
disease diagnosis and management for public health relevance.