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(8) Currently available systems. . |
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Dr. Howard Shapiro's has launched an international call [19] for flow cytometry (FCM) in the 3rd World: |
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This year Affordable Flow Cytometry was discussed at the Cytometry Development Workshop (October 2000), an event with strong ecumenical spirit held every October at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. As a result of this discussion, Dr. Howard Shapiro launched a circular on the Internet to 120 scientists with interest in clinical FCM with the following message: The instruments that are needed should be designed to be small in size, rugged, have low power consumption and cost a minimal. There are limits to how far commercial organizations have taken this design concept, because it would be difficult for most of them to make a profit selling relatively small numbers of inexpensive machines. Still, there has been enthusiasm that an inexpensive system could be designed and built with collaboration between cytometry experts, inside and outside of industry. Apparatus developed in the cooperative effort could be used to meet the needs of price-sensitive emerging markets in developed countries, e.g. food and water microbiology. We should also look at clinical needs beyond the HIV epidemic. Malaria comes to mind but the emphasis will have to remain on supporting clinical research that will result in inexpensive therapeutic and preventive measures, such as the HIV vaccine trials. It may very well be that (an) eminently usable instrument(s) can be put together from sub-systems that have already been superseded. Manufacturers' current products can therefore be shared without nondisclosure agreements and much industrial secrecy |
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