The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is conducting trials of a 15-minute blood test, MeMed BV, designed to rapidly diagnose serious infections in children, potentially saving lives by identifying conditions such as meningitis and sepsis.
The NHS England-funded trial is taking place in the emergency departments at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, London’s St Mary’s Hospital, and Newcastle’s Great North Children’s Hospital.
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According to the NHS, traditional methods to confirm the type of infection a child has, require lab analysis of blood tests, which can take several hours.
During this waiting period, children might receive antibiotics or other treatments before a definitive diagnosis is made, consuming time and resources. Conversely, they may be assessed as having a minor illness.
The blood test is said to indicate whether an infection is viral or bacterial within 15 minutes, helping avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.
In the trial, the technology is being tested in children to see if it can assist healthcare professionals in making quicker decisions.
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By GlobalDataDoctors involved in the trial have reported positive outcomes, including expedited treatment for a child with meningococcal meningitis and immediate antibiotic administration for a child with sepsis.
The study into the test is being spearheaded by the University of Liverpool and Health Innovation North West Coast.
It benefits from the support of the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare, an NHS England initiative aimed at accelerating the integration of solutions into healthcare.
The project investigating the blood test is set to continue until March 2026.
NHS England Children and Young People national clinical director professor Simon Kenny said: “Quick diagnosis is crucial in ensuring patients get the most effective treatment, particularly for children who may have a potentially life-threatening illness.
“Innovations like the 15-minute blood test speed up diagnosis and allow focused treatment, as well as freeing up resources to treat more patients, so it’s great we’re able to trial the test this winter when the NHS is at its busiest.”
Last month, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency established an AI commission to help expedite the technology’s adoption across the NHS.
