9th January 2025
Government & Public Relations (GPR) team of the RIGHT Foundation
The RIGHT Foundation (hereafter referred to as RIGHT) proudly announces that the STANDARD G6PD test, co-developed by SD Biosensor and PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health), has received World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification (PQ) on 18 December 2024. The RIGHT Foundation provided funding for the development of this innovative test between 2019 and 2022, underscoring its commitment to improving global health equity.
The WHO PQ designation highlights the test’s clinical effectiveness and extended shelf life, which has been successfully increased from 18 to 36 months. This critical advancement was supported by usability and clinical data generated during the RIGHT-funded project, significantly enhancing the accessibility and utility of the test.
The STANDARD G6PD test is expected to reach broader communities following WHO’s updated malaria treatment guidelines, which recommend testing for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency prior to administering primaquine or tafenoquine. These antimalarial drugs, while effective, can cause severe side effects—and, in rare cases, fatalities—in individuals with G6PD deficiency, a condition affecting approximately 5400 million people, particularly in malaria-endemic regions such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
The WHO PQ status marks a major milestone in global malaria control and elimination efforts. Prior to this designation, the STANDARD G6PD test had already received regulatory approval in Australia, among 20 other countries, and had been integrated into national malaria control programs in Brazil and Thailand. Access to the test has also been bolstered through public procurement contracts, ensuring wider distribution to communities in need across malaria-endemic areas.
The RIGHT Foundation’s support for the STANDARD G6PD test exemplifies its end-to-end approach to global health equity, encompassing both R&D funding and public procurement efforts. This test serves as a landmark success for RIGHT’s model, which aims to address the health needs of low- and middle-income countries by fostering innovation and ensuring the implementation of impactful solutions.
As RIGHT continues to champion projects that prioritize global health challenges, the STANDARD G6PD test represents a significant step forward in ensuring safer malaria treatment and advancing the worldwide effort to eliminate the disease.
The RIGHT Foundation is dedicated to fostering research and innovation that address critical global health challenges. By supporting end-to-end solutions, from development to delivery, RIGHT aims to promote equitable access to healthcare solutions for low- and middle-income countries.
[References]
WHO prequalifies diagnostic test to support safer administration of P. vivax malaria treatments
WHO Prequalification Public Report for STANDARD G6PD Test
WHO guidelines for malaria