A consortium of private sector diagnostic laboratories, Initiative for Promoting Affordable and Quality Tests (IPAQT) is planning to offer the World Health Organisation (WHO)-endorsed GeneXpert HCV and HIV viral load tests at less than 50 per cent of the market price in India.

Currently, the consortium has almost 200 members who offer WHO-endorsed TB tests, such as GeneXpert, Hain LPA, BacTALERT 3D, and MGIT. IPAQT laboratories have increased the adoption of quality TB tests from 28,000 in 2013 to over 2,40,000 tests in 2017.

IPAQT has been successful in negotiating with Cepheid, manufacturer of the GeneXpert platform, to significantly reduce the price for these critical diagnostic tests. IPAQT laboratories and hospitals can now offer the GeneXpert HCV and HIV viral load tests at no more than Rs 2,600 (US$40) and Rs 2,800 (US$43) respectively, while the market rate for these tests vary between Rs 4500 (US$69) and Rs 7,000 (US$108).