Who would have thought in early 2019 that the words 'PCR' or 'antigen testing' would become so prominent in everyday language across the world?

Before the Covid pandemic hit the world, PCR techniques were already being used in diagnosing infections such as influenza, viral hepatitis or HIV.

In vitro diagnostic testing – which examines various sample types from patients, including blood, tissue cells, saliva, urine and other sample types – is key in transforming the way diseases can be prevented, diagnosed, and monitored.

Diagnostic tests not only provide knowledge that guides clinical diagnosis and treatment initiation, but can also help prevent health issues from worsening and uplift disease management. A wide range of diagnostic solutions are currently available for almost all of today’s most prevalent diseases, such as cancer, heart conditions, sepsis and other infectious diseases.

However, what is missing is the understanding about getting tested before a medical condition worsens. We are not a world that actually thinks about health as prevention.

The general practice is to opt for blood tests or any kind of diagnostic tests when medical conditions worsen. The time has come to change this norm and raise awareness about preventive testing because the wealth of information that can be revealed from a single patient sample is remarkable.

The power of this knowledge can change behaviors, help determine the optimal course of care or life-saving treatment, reduce or eliminate hospital stays and lead to fewer unnecessary examination, which lowers costs for the patients and the healthcare system alike.

Living a healthy life starts with prevention.

Timely detection is also extremely crucial in the case of cardiovascular diseases.

Nearly 18 million people around the world die from cardiovascular diseases each year, making up about a third of all deaths globally. A diagnostic test alone can change the course of a person's healthcare journey, and their life, as early detection via innovative diagnostic and preventive solutions can support early clinical decision making, improved patient management, increased efficiency and cost management for patients.

Another key area of diagnostics is 'predictive screening' which can help determine the future risk of a disease that may (or may not) develop in an otherwise healthy or asymptomatic individual. Such testing can trigger targeted screening and preventive strategies to help reduce risk, if found.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. As per reports, every 20 seconds one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer somewhere in the world and more than three women die of breast cancer every five minutes worldwide. Predictive genetic screening can lead to a better opportunity to detect cancer at an early stage when it is most treatable through enhanced screening. This can not only lead to improved patient quality of life, but also to a reduction in healthcare costs.

Additionally, diagnostic testing is an important line of defense against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), blood-borne diseases and infectious diseases. High-sensitivity blood screening technologies (such as Nucleic Acid Testing) help blood banks to ensure transfusion of safe blood by providing high-quality laboratory tests that help reduce the risk of disease transmission and adverse health effects in patients.

The bottom line is, our bodies work constantly to protect us from external threats but when disease is suspected, diagnostic tools help to accurately identify disease and inform appropriate action.

From preventive health screenings to blood safety and genetic testing, discover the value of diagnostics in aiding disease prevention and putting the health back in healthcare.

Consult your doctor today and get your routine tests done at a health facility near you.

Test early, treat right.

Learn more about the value of diagnostics on www.dialogueondiagnostics.com

This content is a paid advertisement by Roche Diagnostics Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.