National Reference Laboratory is Improving Patient Care and Outcomes in the UAE with Advanced Tuberculosis Testing Technology

•   According to the World Health Organization, Tuberculosis (TB) is among the top 10 causes of death globally 
•  Annually, 3.1 million lives are saved worldwide as a result of early diagnosis and treatment of TB
•  National Reference Laboratory (NRL) provides a high-quality liquid culture TB testing methodology that supports the accurate and early  diagnosis and treatment of TB
• NRL’s Center of Excellence for Tuberculosis Testing complies with Biosafety Level 3 laboratory standards and is capable of safely testing for a  variety of infectious diseases, including SARS Coronavirus and Yellow Fever

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 25 March 2018:  On the occasion of World Tuberculousis Day (March 24, 2018), National Reference Laboratory, a Mubadala company, is directly contributing to the curability of this infectious disease by providing best-in-class technology that aids in the accurate and early diagnosis and treatment of TB.

This innovative technology is located in NRL’s Center of Excellence for Tuberculosis Testing in Abu Dhabi, which complies with Biosafety Level 3 laboratory standards. NRL was created in partnership with, and is managed by, LabCorp, a leading global life sciences company providing comprehensive clinical laboratory services.

“NRL’s strategic commitment to deliver accurate, timely, high-quality and specialized infectious disease testing services has been realized with the implementation of innovative systems with advanced testing capabilities at our Center of Excellence for Tuberculosis Testing.

We are one of the first standalone reference laboratories based in the UAE to offer a comprehensive TB test menu in a single one-stop-shop location.

We are also a provider of a high-quality liquid culture TB testing methodology that can accurately identify a positive result within 7 days and a true negative in six weeks - versus traditional methods which can take up to 8 weeks.

This helps expedite TB diagnosis and treatment, leading to improved patient outcomes.

Our central laboratory facilities comply with Biosafety Level 3 standards and are equipped for the safe and effective handling of TB and other highly infectious diseases including SARS Coronavirus, Brucella, and Yellow Fever,” said Abdul Hamid Oubeisi, Chief Executive Officer of NRL. 

According to the World Health Organization, TB is among the top 10 causes of death worldwide, with 1.7 million deaths annually.

16% of these fatalities are caused by multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), a strain resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful first-line anti-TB drugs.

Dr. Basel Altrabulsi, Chief Medical Officer of NRL commented: “Multidrug-resistant TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.

So it is important to offer testing solutions that will help physicians select the most effective treatment for their patient.

At our Center of Excellence for Tuberculosis Testing, we can test the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacteria causing TB) to common drugs, which is required for the early identification of MDR-TB.

This is essential in quickly determining the most appropriate therapy regimen for patients with MDR-TB and maximizing their chance of recovery.”