Procurement Trends: Molecular Assay Analyzers - September, 2020

​

Molecular assay analyzers are used clinically to detect, identify, and/or quantify molecules of microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, virus, fungus) and/or genetic abnormalities based in the characteristics of the patient's nucleic acids (e.g., DNA, RNA, mRNA). Member interest in molecular testing platforms has surged during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While other types of tests to detect COVID-19 in patients have begun to receive FDA emergency use authorization, the PCR tests, utilized by molecular platforms, remain the gold standard. Through the first eight months of 2020, SELECTplus members submitted more quotes for molecular assay analyzers than were submitted in any of the past three complete years (data primarily collected from USA). If this trend continues, we may see a...