Three-Minute POC Test Screens Children for Lead Poisoning

A three-minute point-of-care testing system for children delivers quantitative blood-lead results in just three minutes using only two drops of blood.

The new test, LeadCare II, makes pediatric lead testing easy. Far simpler to administer than traditional blood-lead tests, the LeadCare II device requires only a finger-stick sample, can be combined with other routine blood tests, and saves administrative time spent on paper work, tracking, and follow-up. LeadCare II qualifies for reimbursement as a quantitative blood-lead test and the cost per test is typically about half of the cost of sending a lead test to an outside laboratory. Therefore it enables individual physicians and lead-poisoning-prevention programs to screen more at-risk children.

ESA Biosciences, Inc. (Chelmsford, MA, USA), a Magellan Biosciences company featured LeadCare II--a CLIA-waived point-of-care blood-lead-testing system--at the American Academy of Pediatrics national conference, which took place from October 27-30, 2007, in San Francisco (CA, USA).

According to Mr. Robb Morse, manager of ESA's blood-lead products, lead poisoning is often referred to as a silent epidemic because it has few recognizable symptoms. In the United States recent news about lead-contaminated toys, bibs, backpacks, and other imported items have resulted in parents and pediatricians requesting blood tests for children. In fact, the primary sources of lead poisoning are deteriorating paint, contaminated soil, old lead pipes, and vinyl window blinds. Mr. Morse said, "Lead poisoning is the number one environmental threat to children, but it is a preventable and treatable disease. Early identification of elevated lead levels is key to mitigating its potentially devastating effects, so regular blood-lead screening for children under age six is vital to ensure their health and safety.”

Because of its CLIA waiver, the LeadCare II system can be used in more than 115,000 point-of-care locations in the United States. These locations include all physicians' offices, as well as community health centers, WIC centers (Women, Infant, and Children program) and mobile clinics, health fairs, or home visits--giving healthcare providers a valuable new tool to reach those children and adults most at risk for lead poisoning. ESA developed LeadCare II with partial funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; Atlanta, GA, USA).


Related Links:
ESA Biosciences, Inc
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention