Diagnostics for All: Inexpensive Paper Tests Affordable to All

DFA combines a unique business strategy with groundbreaking technology to provide health and other benefits in both the developing and developed worlds. Two attributes are of vital importance for DFA: 1) the right technology, and 2) the right business plan. First, technology can provide simple, elegant solutions to complex problems such as the delivery of diagnostic testing to the more than 60% of people who live beyond the reach of large urban hospitals and central testing laboratories. Second, a good business plan ensures near term R&D funding as well as long term revenue generation which is critical for long term sustainability. DFA ‘s technology is based on paper microfluidics, exclusively licensed from Harvard University and further developed at DFA. The patterned paper platform can be used for clinical chemistry, immunoassay, electrochemistry, and molecular diagnostic methodology. DFA tests can be used at the point-of-care, are inexpensive (cents), easy-to-use, disposable, portable, and highly scalable. The tests were designed specifically for the developing world, and the initial approach was focused on human health applications. We have now expanded to include agricultural and food safety uses, both of which are fundamental to improving quality of life in the developing world. The platform leading to low cost-of-goods and scalable manufacturing is also attractive for developed world markets. DFA sees this as an opportunity to leverage partnership and license collaborations through its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary and to do so in a way that does not detract from its mission to provide affordable diagnostics for all.