The skyrocketting need for speed: partnering to develop rapid diagnostic tests that protect patients from antibiotic resistant infections during disasters and every day

To save as many lives as possible, medical professionals across the country will need diagnostics that can differentiate bacteria from viruses, indicate in minutes which bacteria is infecting their patients, and whether that bacteria has developed antimicrobial resistance. Consider the sheer number of diagnostics and the speed needed in bio-incident or severe pandemic. The diagnostics arena is ripe for innovation as well as full implementation of new technologies already developed. Progress also requires that new technologies be integrated quickly into our healthcare system, which presents an additional challenge.