SmartSpot Quality

SmartSpot Quality is a companion diagnostic for qualifying the accuracy of molecular TB diagnostic tests. SmartSpot has developed a patented technology that enables us to safely package inactivated Mycobacterium tuberculosis on a simple spot on a card which is easily and safely tested like a patient's clinical specimen. Each card weighs less than 3g and is easy, safe and cost effective to transport, as well as being stable for more than 12 months at ambient temperatures. SmartSpot is compatible on many molecular TB testing platforms. SmartSpot Quality is a South African grown company which started in 2010. In 6 years, SmartSpot has developed a global footprint in 24 countries and is utilised in 391 sites around the world with many more countries in the pipeline. In South Africa, SmartSpot has been used on all 289 instruments in the National TB program. Over the duration of a year, SmartSpot cost ~0.1% of the cost of the South African national TB screening program and the results of the testing found that 2.6% of the instrument's modules on installation required additional maintenance before tests could be performed on clinical specimens. If SmartSpot was not used, this could have translated to 78,000 test results of the 3million tests performed having been in error. The harsh impact of this could have been that some patients may have remained undiagnosed and either have died or spread the disease within their communities'. Others could have been incorrectly diagnosed with TB and put onto 18 months of toxic drugs which may lead to hearing loss among other negative side effects.