The North West Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing (PALOH) study represented the world's first trial of a genetic Point of Care Test (POCT) within the acute, time-sensitive setting of neo-natal, working collaboratively with partners across the region and nationally.
Around 90,000 newborn babies in the UK, are treated with the antibiotic, gentamicin, which National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines state should be administered within the first hour. It is known, via studies within other patient groups, that the antibiotic can lead to deafness, as a result of a genetic variant which affects 1 in 500 people. Testing for this variant, has until now taken days.
For more information on the PALOH study please read the full article on the inews.co.uk website.