Under the Indo-US Collaborative Programme on Low-Cost Medical Devices, the department of biotechnology (DBT) has invited Indo-US joint project proposals from interested scientists, engineers and scientific organisations to develop low cost medical devices.

The Indo-US Collaborative Programme on Low-Cost Medical Devices was established by a Joint Statement between the department of biotechnology of the ministry of science and technology of India and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) of the US on October 4, 2007.

The goal of this programme is to foster joint activities between US and Indian scientists for the development of low-cost medical devices; address medical needs in low-resource settings; and take advantage of opportunities and technological advances through the development of appropriate, low-cost medical devices.

Medical technologies developed through Indo-US collaboration will benefit low-resource settings globally. Emphasis will be placed on technologies that increase healthcare access, address global health disparities and/or address the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the poor.

Low-cost medical device development that could have an impact on low-resource settings can be proposed by the participants of this programme. Funding for the US component of collaborative projects will be through NIH research grant award mechanism (R03). Funding for the Indian component will be in accordance with DBT terms and conditions regarding the release of research and development grants.

In the area of cardiovascular diseases, the immediate needs include detection and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases in low-resource settings and new devices for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. For cancer screening, new technologies need to be developed as collaboration between engineers, clinicians, technologists and global health experts. Screening technologies need to be simple enough to be operated by people with minimal education (10th grade).

In the area of endocrine disorders, diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for endocrine disorders, and specifically diabetes are needed. New or reengineered low-cost technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) tract diseases are also needed.

In the area of maternal/neonatal/infant health, there is a need to focus on a high-priority problem and implement technologies that will have a significant impact. There is a need to screen newborns for treatable conditions with high morbidity and mortality such as hemoglobinopathies, hypothyroidism, and other metabolic or inherited disorders. For example, technologies are needed to help prevent hypothyroidism.

In the area of trauma and injury, the focus should be on low-cost prostheses and prosthetic materials; low-cost imaging for tertiary care hospitals; mobile or portable imaging devices; low-cost EMS technologies such as a “trauma backpack”; improved, low-cost telemedicine technologies; low-cost hemostats, surgifoam, gelfoam, implants, sutures, preloaded syringes, fixative; low-cost C-arm, ultrasound, and CT; rehabilitation technologies, particularly for children who have been injured; low-cost wheelchairs; technologies for airway clearing; and technologies for CNS assessment.

In diagnostic technologies, the focus should be on glucose monitoring for diabetics; low-cost platform technologies for multiple (multivalent) diagnostic tests; a multiplex, lab-on-a-chip technologies; point-of-care diagnostics for screening infant diseases; technology and assay development related specifically to screening newborns for heritable disorders; appropriate, low-cost diagnostic imaging devices for low-resource settings.

Besides, technologies developed in the West need to be re-engineered to suit local needs in India. For example, technologies such as the flow cytometers, insulin pumps could be made using readily available standard components.