New advanced technology in the study of molecular diagnosis means that the time of test results are much quicker and patients spend less time waiting to receive the necessary treatment, said Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne.

“It is expected that a third of a million tests will be conducted in this laboratory this year alone. Fearne was speaking at the new molecular diagnostic laboratory at Mater Dei Hospital, where he explained that the biggest cause of sickness and mortality throughout history has been due to microbes and infections.

“This new laboratory focuses on diagnosing and the identification of different types of microbes which cause particular infections and diseases.” He said that the laboratory technicians take samples of the different microbes and they try to understand the DNA/RNA of the microbes; that way fully understanding what the patient is suffering from and the procedure takes less time. “If a patient was suffering from tuberculosis, instead of us receiving the results after three weeks, results come out in just an hour.” He explained that this ‘turn-around’ of time means that doctors can treat patients on the day instead of waiting for them to receive the results.

Fearne explained that today now with the means of this new advanced technology, even the treatment of influenza is improved, as doctors know what kind of influenza virus the patient has and can be treated accordingly.

Professor Christopher Barbara, who specialises in pathology in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, said that the laboratory works 24/7 to make sure that patients have the right diagnosis and treatment. “With the revolution of science and advancement of technology, what used to take weeks for the production of results, now only takes hours.”