Publication reveals essential ingredients of the NIH RADx groundbreaking national diagnostics effort

One-year into implementation of the National Institutes of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative, the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology has dedicated a special issue to exploring the innovative structure and operation of the RADx Tech program. The program has succeeded in dramatically increasing COVID-19 testing capacity in the United States and creating new testing platforms, such as the first-ever COVID-19 tests authorized for over-the-counter purchase for use at-home.

The technology development and commercialization process for diagnostics and other medical devices typically takes three to seven years; but RADx Tech and its counterpart, RADx Advanced Technology Platforms (RADx ATP), condensed this into a matter of months.

RADx Tech/ATP have streamlined processes to improve testing, screening and surveillance to advance global health, both for the current pandemic and to meet the challenge posed by pathogens in the future. The program has supported about 150 companies and advanced nearly 50 cutting-edge diagnostics in development around the country. By March 2021, these companies had established capacity to produce up to 1.9 million tests per day.  

The special issue is open access at the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology.

What: Special Issue of IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology features RADx Tech

Who: Bruce Tromberg, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and leader of the RADx Tech program

To schedule an interview, contact [email protected], 301-496-3500

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About the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative: The RADx initiative was launched on April 29, 2020, to speed innovation in the development, commercialization and implementation of technologies for COVID-19 testing. The initiative has four programs: RADx Tech, RADx Advanced Technology Platforms (ATP), RADx Underserved Populations and RADx Radical. RADx Tech and ATP, led by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, leverage the NIH Point-of-Care Technology Research Network. The RADx initiative partners with federal agencies, including the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, Department of Defense, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Learn more about the RADx initiative and its programs: www.nih.gov/radx.

About the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB): NIBIB’s mission is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating engineering and physical science with biology and medicine to advance our understanding of disease and its prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. NIBIB supports emerging technology research and development within its internal laboratories and through grants, collaborations, and training. More information is available at the NIBIB website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The National Institutes of Health, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.