We Are Randox | Meet our award-winning Costume Designer, Monika!
At Randox we pride ourselves on being a global company with an international team of over 1400 people from 145 different countries.
Our dedicated workforce have a range of talents and skills that they bring with them to Randox each day. But the commitment and dedication of our hard-working workforce doesn’t end when they leave the office. Randox employees have a wide range of hobbies and interesting talents and we are delighted to be able to share some of these with you through our We Are Randox series.
Recently Monika, one of our valued Manufacturing and Despatch Operatives at Randox took the time to tell us about her passion for designing and creating unique handmade costumes for Festivals found throughout Northern Ireland.
Here is Monika’s story:
“I joined Randox in Northern Ireland roughly about 5 months ago as a Manufacturing and Despatch Operative in our Mivan site based in Crumlin. I was really happy to land a job within an international organisation that employed a wide range of people from different cultures and different backgrounds.
Back in Poland, where I am originally from, I studied full time for 6 years in the OSSP Art School. For as long as I can remember I have always been interested in arts and crafts so it came naturally to me when I first started to design costumes.
I prefer to design my own original work and not copy anyone else’s designs. My favourite type of costumes to design are ancient religious characters from past centuries and eras. As there is no proof or documentation which illustrates what they ‘should’ look like, it gives me free reign to be as creative as I want to be. Nobody is able to say whether your design is right or wrong, you can only imagine what it is supposed to look like.
There are a variety of different festivals and competitions that I am able to enter including the MCM Comic Con and the Show Master competition. The first competition that I entered here in Northern Ireland was the MCM Comic Con in 2015 which takes place every year in Belfast. It takes me roughly around 100 hours to make one costume as they are all handmade so it takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. This festival attracts about 16,000 people each time so I was thrilled to win first place the first time that I entered!
The winning design I created was an old European folklore costume that the judges loved. This encouraged me to enter the summer MCM Comic competition which took place in July. I designed an Aztec God costume for this entry and ended up coming in at first place again which was a great achievement. I was presented with a trophy and money voucher when I won both of these competitions which was great.
The next competition that I hope to enter is the 2017 MCM Comic Con competition which is set to take place in March. For the March competition I am designing a Witch Doctor outfit and I am intrigued to see what way the final design will turn out.
I’m a fully qualified artist and every costume I design I can sell on under my brand name – Eliot Von Valentino – but they are all quite expensive.
Everything I create is handmade using materials such as leather which is extremely costly. I had to skin my leather sofa once to get the amount of leather that I needed to create my design!
I also use natural gem stones which are all individually sewed on. I take a lot of pride in my designs and I finance them all myself which is sometimes difficult as the materials needed to complete my designs are so expensive and hard to come by.
In the future I have high aspirations to enter the bigger competitions that take place in London. They draw in crowds of 120,000 so it would be a good opportunity to showcase my work to such a large scale audience.”
We look forward to seeing Monika’s latest design this coming March for her next competition. Good Luck Monika!
If you are interested in joining the multi-talented and passionate team we have here at Randox please visit our careers page for current vacancies.
Make sure to follow Randox Careers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox
The UK Government is being urged to ban excessive use of antibiotics in farming
To coincide with the start of World Antibiotic Awareness Week the UK Government is being urged to ban excessive use of antibiotics in farming by a group of leading doctors, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Made up of 12 royal medical colleges, the British Medical Association and the Faculty of Public Health, the group say that the UK should “use the opportunity afforded by Brexit to lead the world in banning” preventative prescription of medicines on animals.
A decision made by the European Parliament earlier this year to ban mass agricultural medication has not yet been ratified by member states or the European Commission.
A Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ spokesman told the newspaper that dealing with AMR is a “top priority” though the paper notes it ‘stopped short of promising a ban.’
In 2015 McDonalds set itself a two year deadline to stop its US restaurants buying chicken raised with human antibiotics. It led to one of the US’s leading meat producers – Tyson Foods – promising to end the practice by September 2017 – which is, as The Guardian stated, “one of the most aggressive timelines yet set by an American poultry company.” The company’s CEO Donnie Smith told the newspaper: “We have found as we have reduced the level of antibiotics we use, whether it’s human use or vet-only, our cost has actually gone down. A lot of the ways we’ve been able to accomplish this is by working with our farmers on better husbandry practices. If this millennial mum wants a no-antibiotic ever..nugget we better supply that.”
Farmers Weekly reported this month on a Danish Crown initiative launched in 2015 whereby pig farmers attach an antibiotics-free tag to piglets at the neonatal stage. It’s removed at any point if antibiotic treatment is deemed necessary. It claims that although early farm trials suggest a production fall of up to 2.5 piglet per sow per year, the “premium covers additional costs if 35% or more piglets carry the tag to the slaughterhouse.”
Pig farmer Stine Mikkelsen carried out a major review of hygiene and health on her farm to reduce antimicrobial use to boost revenue by £11.25 per pig. She says that although production is down and labour costs did increase, it “feels good” to farm in this way. She told the newspaper, “I am very motivated to do something about it – it’s a hard route to take but I have a good feeling about this system.”
Randox Food Diagnostics is working with global leaders in the food industry to tackle antibiotic resistance and safeguard their use for both human and veterinary treatment.
Using a dedicated research and development team, Randox have the ability to respond rapidly to emerging new drugs of abuse and regulations in relation to food and animal safety, with sixty-five new residue drug targets are currently in development to keep up with the ever changing market of food safety. Randox Food Diagnostics are ensuring that all residue screening laboratories requirements are met by providing reliable food safety screening on a global scale.
On top of the food safety product range Randox Food also offer a range of analysers, reagents and test kits for use throughout the winemaking process to ensure quality is maintained in every bottle.
This product range includes the RX misano semi-automated wine analyser and the RX Monaco fully automated wine analyser.
For more information on what we do, please visit: www.randoxfood.com
The RX misano is currently unavailable to purchase in Germany
Dementia is now āour greatest medical challengeā
It has been announced today by the Office of National Statistics that dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK. Last year alone more than 61,000 people died of dementia and this figure is set to rise along with the ageing population. Currently, there are over 850,000 people with dementia in the UK- 40,000 of which are under the age of 65. This number is expected to reach over 1 million by 2025.
The majority of the dementia deaths were among women – 41,283 deaths in 2015 compared to 20,403 dementia deaths in men. For men it seems the leading cause of death is related to heart disease.
Hilary Evans, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said, “These figures once again call attention to the uncomfortable reality that currently no-one survives a diagnosis of dementia.
“Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing, it’s caused by diseases that can be fought through research, and we must bring all our efforts to bear on what is now our greatest medical challenge.”
Dementia describes the different brain disorders that trigger a loss of brain function. These conditions are all usually progressive and eventually severe. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 62% of those diagnosed. Other types of dementia include; vascular dementia affecting 17% of those diagnosed and mixed dementia affecting 10%.
The most common symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech. However it is important to spot the early warning signs. These include finding it hard to follow conversations or programs on TV, forgetting names of friends or everyday objects and feeling confused even in a familiar environment.
Here at Randox we recognise the importance diagnosing dementia early and we worked with the Medical University of Vienna to develop the Randox ApoE4 Biochip Array which can identify the risk of developing Alzheimer’s within three hours. When we presented it earlier this year, it won the prestigious NACB/ AACC Distinguished Abstract Award.
The Biochip analyses Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a gene which is recognised as one of the most significant genetic risk factors for dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. There are three versions of the ApoE gene: E2, E3 and E4. The E4 version increases a person’s risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, though it may also be associated with an earlier onset of memory loss. Everyone carries two copies of the ApoE gene but 25% of the population carry one copy of the ApoE4. Inheriting two copies of the E4 variant increases a person’s disease risk by 10 times or more.
The Biochip was developed at our state of the art site in Dungloe, ‘Teoranta’. R&D scientists Emma Harte said, “This type of testing is important in our quest to understand and diagnose Alzheimer’s, and empower patients to understand risks, consider medication and even make early lifestyle changes.
“Pairing this test with medical and family history for risk of Alzheimer’s disease has the real potential to advance personalised medicine. This fast, accurate testing will allow doctors and patients to make more informed choices earlier to potentially slow the possible progress of Alzheimer’s.”
If you would like to find out more information about our Alzheimer’s test contact us at randoxPR@randox.com
We Are Randox | Life in Austin, Texas with Andrew Dunlop
As a global diagnostic company with employees situated in 145 different countries across the globe, working with Randox offers amazing opportunities for international travel, and even for relocating half way across the world!
Our aim is to revolutionise healthcare through innovative diagnostics and save lives, and we can’t achieve this aim without the support of each and every one of our employees who are situated throughout the world.
Recently we took the time to catch up with Andrew Dunlop, who relocated from our Headquarters in Crumlin to Austin, Texas, USA.
Hi Andrew, what’s your current job title at Randox?
Currently my job title is National Sales Manager for the RX Sales department at Randox. I have been working for Randox for over four years now and I am really enjoying my role. My main job responsibilities include selling RX instrumentation to clinical labs, research sites and education facilities while also managing staff who do the same.
Was relocating something that you imagined doing when you first started your career with Randox?
Relocating was always something that I thought may have been an option but wasn’t sure how realistic it would be. I was always encouraged to pursue international travel and I loved the idea of seeing how business was done in other parts of the world. Having previously lived in the USA for two years through an internship with another company before I started working for Randox, I loved the idea of returning someday but didn’t know if it would be possible. I didn’t know anyone who already lived in Texas but because I had travelled to Austin on so many occasions for business I knew it was a great city. As I was travelling quite frequently to the USA I brought up the possibility of relocating there which was fully supported by the company.
What happened in the first few weeks of your relocation? Did you face any challenges?
The first few weeks were fairly hectic: I had to source getting a new car, a driver’s licence and finding an apartment and furniture. Randox helped me settle in by putting me up in a hotel initially and they also bring me home at least once per year which is something that I always look forward to.
How are you finding living in a new culture?
I love the culture in the USA and I have got used to pronouncing words a certain way so people can understand me such as two, eight, hour and even Andrew. The American’s use different terms such as Cell Phone, trunk, Gas etc too. The weather is also great, blue skies and sun is the norm for me now. I am able to live an outdoor lifestyle in my spare time, go hiking, mountain biking, BBQs etc, the list could go on and on!
How are you coping living so far from home?
I miss family and friends a lot, but as time passes it becomes normal. But the company does fly me home once per year which is something I always look forward to. I will have been home three times in 2016, but I wasn’t home at all in 2015.
Are you doing the same job in your new role?
My job role didn’t change significantly, I do a very similar job that I did before when I was located in Ardmore. Previously I managed staff who sold RX equipment in Brazil, Spain, UK and USA but now I purely focus on the US market. Plus being in the market has allowed me to understand it so much more and sales have really grown as a result which is a big plus!
What’s been the highlight of your move so far?
The highlight for me is being in a city that I truly love.
If you are interested in joining an international company that can offer you the chance to relocate to some of the biggest cities in the world, make sure that you check out our website for any current opportunities. We also offer a student placement program and graduate development program to help students and recent grads build the necessary experience needed to work within a global company.
Make sure to follow Randox Careers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox
IQCP: Where Are We Now?
What is IQCP?
IQCP stands for Individualized Quality Control Plan, and it is an all-inclusive approach to creating a customized quality control plan for a laboratory.
IQCP focuses on assuring quality in the lab using more in-depth means than simply carrying out a certain number of QC tests at a specific frequency. Many different aspects of laboratory operations will be evaluated, such as the test system, reagents, environment, testing personnel etc.
Where are we now?
As of January 2016, many labs in and outside the USA have implemented their IQCP’s, but what impact has this had on day-to-day operations?
In order to gauge the overall effectiveness and user-experience of implementing IQCP, Westgard QC1 conducted a survey for all IQCP participants both in the USA and globally.
Opinions were mixed regarding the effectiveness of IQCP:
Positive Opinions of IQCP
- Some users found that IQCP decreased the number of QC materials required
- There is a greater emphasis on the pre and post-analytic phases of testing, thus improving process error identification
- Over half of global survey participants revealed that their IQCP identified unacceptable risk(s) in their test system, thereby creating a more robust process
- Of the labs whose IQCP’s were inspected in the USA, 96.3% were deemed adequate by the relevant regulatory bodyies
- Identification of errors can lead to additional personnel training, thereby increasing the knowledge and expertise of laboratory staff
Negative Opinions of IQCP
- Due to the length of time taken to create a single IQCP, coupled with the additional expense, several survey participants found that the benefits of IQCP did not justify using so many resources in its implementation
- Many labs raised concerns regarding the availability of guidance in developing an IQCP. Participants complained that useful guidelines were not provided quickly enough, and labs had to rush their IQCP implementation.
- Several survey participants felt as though there was widespread confusion over IQCP. Participants highlighted that the volume of questions from laboratory professionals proves that IQCP was not introduced by regulatory bodies in an organized or effective manner
- Some labs surveyed voiced the opinion that IQCP evaluation needs to be more standardized, and that inspections can either be too lenient or too stringent.
ISO 15189:2012 requirements
As with any new system, feedback is important for further refinement. IQCP appears to be a step in the right direction for the advancement of laboratory QC. According to Westgard’s survey1, only around 30% of US respondents were satisfied, showing that labs still feel improvements need to be made. Inspectoral standardization, or more concise, straightforward guidelines on IQCP implementation could be potential improvements for regulatory bodies to consider.
We would love to know your thoughts on the subject. Send us an email at acusera@randox.com.
References:
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Westgard QC. (2016).2016 IQCP Users Survey. Available: https://www.westgard.com/iqcp-user-survey-comments.htm. Last accessed 25-Oct-16.
Ballymacrickett Primary School pupils visit Randox as part of a new collaboration to enhance pupil knowledge of STEM based work.
As an international organisation that aims to deliver world class pioneering research that will revolutionise healthcare worldwide, we are always pleased when the next generation of scientists want to come and visit us. So we were delighted when Ballymacrickett Primary School got in touch with us to organise a visit.
Last week Randox welcomed primary 7 pupils from Ballymacricket Primary School to our Randox labs to gain a first class insight into the work that we carry out here. As part of the collaboration Randox is sponsoring Ballymacrickett Primary School to conduct their very own STEM project that will allow primary 7 pupils to take part in the Junior Innovators project. This project is run alongside Sentinus, a non-profit educational charity that works with schools throughout Northern Ireland to deliver programs to promote engagement in STEM subjects.
As part of the project the primary 7 pupils will conduct cross circular project work which can include workbooks, exhibition materials, models of products and even the development of a mini enterprise and their very own products. The aim of this project is to support the development of links between primary schools and local business and industry and to give classroom learning relevance to the world of work through a structured program of activity.
The first step in the project involves a visit to a local company, and we were thrilled to welcome over 50 pupils to our headquarters here in Crumlin from the 24th-27th October. The tour included a visit around our different departments and behind the scenes access to our science labs to gain a better insight into the work that we pioneer which was especially interesting.
At the end of the tour each pupil received a goodie bag filled with plenty of Randox stationery to take back to school with them.
We are delighted that the tour was both enjoyable and informative and sparked an interest in many more pupils to enter the world of science!
Good luck Ballymacrickett Primary School- We can’t wait to see your final project!
Make sure to follow Randox Careers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox
We Are Randox | Behind the scenes of Randox Engineering with Maryrose McLoone
Randox is an international company renowned for our innovative medical diagnostics but did you know we also have a dedicated engineering team with over 30 years’ experience in the design, prototyping, testing and manufacturing of diagnostic analysers?
Maryrose McLoone, from our Randox Teoranta site, gave us an insight into her role as a mechanical design engineer and told us what she enjoys the most about engineering.
Hi Maryrose, tell me a little about your position and what you do on a day-to-day basis?
I work as a Mechanical Design Engineer in Randox Teoranta where my main role is to aid in the design and development of clinical chemistry analysers. My day-to-day work can vary depending on what stage of a project we’re on. At the minute I’m working on developing concepts for our new project. This involves working with other members of the Engineering team to come up with ideas and designs and develop them into working prototypes. Engineers have many roles including creating designs using 3D modelling software, carrying out testing and analysis, as well as verifying and validating our designs. We work with Manufacturing and also with Quality Assurance to ensure we meet all of the relevant standards which are applicable for the Medical Device Industry.
Are there any challenges in your job? If so, how do you handle them?
When working in R&D, the main challenges we face are in ensuring we develop analysers of the highest quality, which will perform accurate diagnoses, and also are competitive in their market. It is always important that we consider the end user of our devices as the patient is of the upmost importance. Quality is an integral part in all stages of the project from the early design stages right through to product release. We must ensure that we will continually deliver quality in every aspect of our work. This is achieved by conducting thorough testing on all of our designs as well as remaining up-to-date with all of the latest technologies which are available to us.
What is your proudest accomplishment at the job?
As a team, we recently completed the design and development of a semi-automated clinical chemistry analyser, the RX misano, which has been released to market. This is a big accomplishment for our team as it is the result of our combined hard work and efforts. This was the first engineering project to be completed solely in Randox Teoranta, which is why it is such a big achievement for us.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
As a Mechanical Design Engineer, there is a wide variety in the work that I do. Every day is different and each brings its own challenges. I particularly enjoy working with medical devices as I find that is a very rewarding job. Randox analysers are used worldwide to conduct a wide variety diagnostic tests. By working in the development of clinical chemistry analysers I am part of a team which create devices that improve the healthcare of patients all over the world.
As a Mechanical Design Engineer, I also have the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of Engineers including Mechanical, Electrical, and Embedded Systems Engineers, as well as Software Developers. We also work closely with Manufacturing and Quality Assurance which has allowed me to gain an insight into various aspects of design and development which I would not have previously experienced.
What advice would you give someone who is seeking the same line of work?
Design Engineering involves creating innovative solutions and improving on current designs; therefore problem solving is a key skill in this line of work. The design and development stages involve a lot of creativity, whereas the testing stages of a project require meticulous attention to detail. As an Engineer you work autonomously as well as part of a team. You also work alongside Engineers of different disciplines and other departments within the plant. The design and development of a product can be a lengthy and sometimes challenging process but it is also very rewarding when you see a project through to completion.
If you are interested in joining our Engineering team make sure that you check our our careers website for all our current opportunities.
Make sure to follow Randox Careers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox
The RX misano is currently unavailable to purchase in Germany
NI business leaders and MLAs take a trip to Randox China
A number of business leaders and MLAs from Northern Ireland took time to meet with members of our Randox team based in China this week.
The group visited China in a bid to develop and nurture business relationships between the two countries, during a trip organised by the Northern Ireland Assembly Business Trust.
The Trust works to forge business relationships between local businesses and parliamentarians in Northern Ireland, offering a unique opportunity for each to better understand the industry in which they operate. The Trust organises educational visits, fellowships, seminars and trips for local businesses and MLAs to encourage participation on issues of mutual interest.
David Hu and Karen Li, members of Team Randox based in China, met with the group made up of MLAs Colin McGrath, Conor Murphy, Danny Kennedy, Clare Bailey, Kellie Armstrong, and Joanne Dobson, Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI, Colin Neill, the head of Pubs of Ulster, and representatives from the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, an organisation which aims to develop academic, cultural, economic and social ties between Northern Ireland and China.
The group’s trip also involved a visit to the Shenyang Party Congress and Department for Commerce, and to the Irish Embassy in Beijing.
Susan Hammond, Randox China Sales Manager, commented;
“As a key market we have for the past 20 years exported to and worked across China, where Randox is a well-known and respected brand within the healthcare landscape. It is our dedication and hard work within this dynamic market, through both our HQ based team in Northern Ireland and our dedicated local team spread across China, that has enabled this. Our success so far drives us in our continued efforts in growth in this market, and our continued investment in introducing new and innovative products to the market.”
David Hu, Business Development Executive at Randox China, commented;
“It was a fantastic occasion meeting with the delegation from Northern Ireland. We work very closely with the team at Randox HQ in County Antrim, and so we relish the opportunity to engage and develop relationships with relevant representatives from Northern Ireland, whether in the political or business sphere. We’re delighted to be able to gain further insight into the relationships that exist between our two prosperous nations and look forward to nurturing these relationships in the future.”
For further information about our team in China, please contact our Randox PR Team.
E: nicola.mchugh@randox.com or amy.mcilwaine@randox.com
T: 028 9445 1016
Pictured left to right are:
Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI; Jill Xie, David Hu and Karen Li, Randox China.
Don’t Get Tricked This Halloween
Don’t Get Tricked This Halloween – Treat Your Lab to Randox True Third Party Controls Today!
Halloween – a celebration observed by many countries around the world on a yearly basis. Falling on October 31st this holiday is a chance for people to dress up, carve pumpkins, bob for apples, attend costume parties, trick-or-treat and tell scary stories.
It just so happens that we have a scary story for you – and what makes this story even scarier is that it’s a true story!
Our story starts off in a medical laboratory. This laboratory was running QC on their machine as they would do every day. Getting accurate results with no faults or problems arising from their machine, this laboratory was happy with how things were going – until one day when it all went wrong!
Having run their EQA/PT samples, the laboratory found themselves reviewing their report with shock –they noticed a large negative bias. To their horror the perceived ‘accuracy’ they had once achieved was now no longer the case. Right away the laboratory professional’s thoughts turned to the fact that approx. 70% of all clinical decisions are based on laboratory test results, meaning it is essential that the results provided are accurate and reliable in order to prevent potential misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment. Had they sent incorrect patient results to the clinicians? Had a patient been misdiagnosed? Many thoughts fluttered around in their heads.
The laboratory repeated their QC and found that the results obtained were almost identical to the previous run. The laboratory knew there must be a problem with their QC or their instrument, so they began the troubleshooting process. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. “What was going on?” was the question on the lips of the laboratory professionals.
One of the laboratory professionals then stumbled across a case study that took place in the University of Verona and Academic Hospital of Parma, Italy. The study was related to a field recall of Intact PTH, the reagent was recalled after falsely elevated patient results were discovered. The alarming thing was that the same elevated performance was not identified by the instrument manufacturer’s control. The study reported that due to this issue there was potential for 40,000 inaccurate patient results from just 18 labs in the Lombardy region of Italy. The study also concluded that the issue could have been prevented if a third-party control, independent from calibrator materials had been used.
This PTH case study got the laboratory thinking that maybe they should source a true third party manufacturer… Having sampled a third party QC, the lab found their results now mirrored that of their EQA and patient samples and as such proceeded to make the switch from first party to third party.
The moral of this story is that first party controls can sometimes “trick” the lab into thinking their performance is acceptable. Quite often target values provided with first party quality controls are in the middle of the analytical range thus masking the issues at the low and high ends of the assay range. Laboratory professionals should “treat” their labs to the best QC material. ISO 15189 highlights that the “use of independent third party control materials should be considered, either instead of, or in addition to, any control materials supplied by the reagent or instrument manufacturer”. So this Halloween don’t randomly choose your QC supplier, treat your laboratory to the best, Randox QC.
All Randox controls are manufactured independently of any instrument or reagent, and designed for use with multiple instruments and methods ensuring, unbiased performance assessment.
Heart disease study suggests benefits of testing toddlers
Heart disease experts have suggested today that toddlers get tested for an inherited form of the condition, from as early as twelve months old.
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterised by very high cholesterol levels, specifically very high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL – so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol). FH is the main cause of heart disease and increases by 10-fold the chance of someone having a heart attack under the age of 40. However people who have been diagnosed can control their cholesterol levels by taking a daily dose of statins.
Currently testing is carried out when an adult who had has heart problems is found to be FH positive. Doctors then recommend testing for others in the family. It’s estimated that currently between 80-90% of FH cases remain undiagnosed.
However a new study led by a team from Queen Mary University of London took a different approach. They tested a group of one-year-old children for known genetic mutations which are linked to FH. Out of 10,000, 40 were found to be FH positive. Not only has this group of children been identified early, but because the condition is genetic, one or both of their parents must have it too. For every one positive FH test, at least two people were diagnosed.
According to the lead researcher Dr David Wald, preventive diagnostic testing for FH could prevent up to 600 heart attacks a year among the under-40s in England and Wales. He told the BBC,
“This is the only screening method that stands a reasonable chance of covering the whole population and identifying those at highest risk of an early heart attack.”
The broadcaster also spoke to the British Heart Foundation’s Medical Director Professor Sir Nilesh Samani who said,
“Early diagnosis in children is likely to substantially improve treatment of their condition and will help find other family members with FH. But before nationwide screening is adopted by the NHS, more work needs to be done to show it’s a cost-effective way for picking up individuals with FH which will be acceptable to families.”
Randox Biosciences have developed a FH test in partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to proactively diagnose FH. Utilised on our patented Biochip Array Technology, our FH arrays simultaneously detect 40 of the most common FH-causing mutations within the LDLR, ApoB and PCSK9 genes, with results available in just three hours.
The test, which is available through Randox Health Clinics, has also been adopted by medical professionals within the NHS including Dr. Colin Graham, recently retired Consultant Clinical Scientist and former Head of the Regional Genetics Lab in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, who introduced the test within his Belfast Laboratory screen for suspected cases of FH.
He said the availability of this test marked a key milestone in the detection of the condition,
“Current FH diagnostic tests require a large volume of samples to be batched, leading to lengthy turnaround times of two to three months. With the new test, the turnaround time is dramatically reduced, enabling more rapid patient diagnosis. This new test has the potential to enable FH screening to become routine in the clinical setting for improved detection and earlier identification of familial cases.”
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Laboratories said,
“In the battle against cardiovascular disease, people with FH are on the front line. It is important to raise awareness of FH as many people do not even know that they and their family members have this life-threatening condition. There is so much that can be done to support families with FH and with this readily available and much-needed test, detecting and treating entire families with FH is now possible.”
