A healthier future – Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics

This article is part of a new series on Eurofins’ testing services.

When you’re at the doctor’s office or the hospital, you probably aren’t making small talk in the waiting room with fellow patients – but if you were to, you’d likely hear about a wide range of ailments and health concerns. Clinical diagnostic tests factor into around 70% of the decisions and recommendations that doctors make when patients visit them to discuss health issues.

That’s where Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics companies come in: their innovative tests address every stage of patient care across a broad spectrum of medical specialties to help clinicians make the best decisions to improve patient outcomes.

Alongside routine tests, Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics companies are also leading the way on genetic and metabolic tests to guide personalised medicine, based on a patient’s unique profile.

Let’s take a look at an anonymous sample of patients and explore how Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics companies play an important role in diagnosing, monitoring, and treating their medical issues.

Organ transplantation

Patient A needs a kidney transplant.

A Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics company conducts Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) testing to match the patient with a compatible donor who presents a lower risk of organ rejection post-transplant.

Once a suitable donor is found, they are screened for infectious diseases. After the kidney transplant, Eurofins Transplant Genomics ’ OmniGraf® is utilised, the first and only non-invasive panel that combines genetic biomarker tests for the earliest and most accurate view of kidney transplant rejection. This means that Patient A will not need to endure invasive, risky, and costly surveillance biopsies.

The patient will also take immunosuppressants to reduce the risk of transplant rejection. Patient A’s immune function and rejection status will be monitored through Eurofins Viracor ’s ImmuKnow® assay.

Neurology

Patient B has motor symptoms that could indicate a neurological condition.

Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics companies can diagnose neurodegenerative diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease, by identifying the particular mutations responsible for these conditions.

General wellness

Patient C is at the doctor’s office for a general check-up.

Their doctor takes a blood sample and sends it to a Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics laboratory, where it is analysed for different biological markers which may reflect possible deficiencies and other issues.

Eurofins Biomnis offers a range of biological panels that check for signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, poor macro nutritional status, intestinal disorders, microbiota imbalances, oxidative stress, and more.

Reproductive health

Patient D is struggling to conceive.

Through the Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics network of laboratories, Patient D undergoes hormonal, genetic, and immunological testing to identify potential infertility and its cause.

They also opt for Eurofins’ carrier screening tests, to check if a recessive disease in the family could be passed onto their future child.

Cardiology

Patient E is worried about their predisposition to cardiovascular disease, as several close family members have been diagnosed with the condition.

A Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics laboratory uses a combination of blood tests that look for abnormalities in lipids and genetic tests to facilitate early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease risk. If the patient does develop cardiovascular disease, improved prognosis and care is now more likely.

Infectious diseases

Patient F has a respiratory infection.

Before prescribing treatment, their doctor sends a TEM-PCR™ sample to a Eurofins Diatherix laboratory for analysis, to identify the pathogen responsible for the infection. The results show the infection is viral, not bacterial, ruling out antibiotics as an effective course of treatment. 

Want to learn more about Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics?

Check out Chapter 3 in our new book, The Story of Eurofins – From humble beginnings to a global leader.