The UK Government has granted £425,000 to Intelligent Fingerprinting for the development of a handheld fingerprint testing device, which is likely to help the NHS to cut costs by providing paramedics and hospital staff with a non-invasive test.
The new test will detect an individual’s latest drug-use history, enabling hospitals to deliver the appropriate treatment to patients in an emergency.
The fund, part of a £39m healthcare grant, was awarded by the Biomedical Catalyst, a programme which is intended to assist growth in the UK life sciences sector, and delivered by the Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board.
Intelligent Fingerprinting business development manager Dr Paul Yates said in emergency situation clinicians may be unaware of an admitted patient’s medical or drug-use history.
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"Our technique for detecting the presence of drugs in a person’s bloodstream by analysing a simple fingerprint could help doctors to make better informed decisions about appropriate treatments," Dr Yates added.
The firm has developed a drug screening technology to examine the tiny amounts of sweat in a fingerprint to identify recent drug use.
A £135,000 award will support a project in joint venture with the University of Leicester to evaluate the potential of using the technology for rapid evaluation of patients admitted to hospital A&E deparments.
A £290,000 award will support a study in conjunction with coroners to trial non-invasive drug testing of the deceased.
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