Medical devices to be developed under national scheme by Anna University

Chennai: Anna University will soon be coming up with an indigenous unit which shall manufacture automated medical devices under the University for Potential for Excellence (UPE) scheme.

According to the Vice-chancellor, MK Surappa, the Advisory Committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) had on Monday, inspected the progress made in fund utilization of the grant released, under the scheme, and also given its nod for the second phase of funding.

Rs 23 crore has already been spent by the university towards this and it is now expecting another 50 crores from the UGC in subsequent phases. “Of the17 varsities selected for funding, only Anna University was shortlisted and has come up with a model which others can follow,” Surappa told TOI.

The unit, which will be set up in campuses at Chromepet and Guindy will be manufacturing limited numbers of bactibiogramoscopes – medical devices designed by Anna University researchers from multiple streams including medical electronics, mechanical and production technology.

These bactibiogramoscopes to be manufactured in these units will be capable of identifying the type of bacteria causing illnesses like diarrhea and urinary tract infection and also suggest the right antibiotic within the next eight hours after identification of the disease.

Since Conventional laboratory methods take 48 hours to produce results, doctors prescribe commonly used antibiotics to control the infection. No Guarantee of it being the right drug is not available. The use of antibiotics without a rationale has resulted in the spread of Multi-Drug-Resistant (MDR) strains, said Professor, S Muttan.

“Infections due to MDR are the cause for increasing cases of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections. Our device would eliminate these shortcomings,” he added. The test costs are likely to fall from 600-1,000 to Rs 100 once the device is available in the market, said researchers.

Semi-automated device version is already in the market and is being validated by a NABL-accredited microbiological lab in Coimbatore. An automated version will be developed and in circulation in the market soon.