Technological surveillance and competitive intelligence for a new technique to detect Giardia : an innovation in healthVigilância tecnológica e inteligência competitiva de um avanço tecnológico para detecção de Giardia , uma inovação em saúde

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública 2018, Vol.42, p.e82-e82
• Main Authors: Vargas, Emily, Beltrán, Sofía Duque, Jamaica, Adriana Arévalo, Vargas, Fabio Leonardo Quintero
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• ISSN: 1680-5348
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2018.82

Giardiasis is a disease caused by an intestinal protozoan that causes acute diarrhea and gastroenteritis in humans. Given the characteristic intermittent excretion of this parasite, there is a high probability of false negative results during diagnosis. The Parasitology Group of Colombia's National Institute of Health identified immunizing proteins present in the parasite's cysts and trophozoites in Colombian isolates with commercial and patentability potential. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted that focused on characteristics of the technique under study, its state of development, and the commercial viability of the invention. A total of 390 patents were found and five similar inventions were selected that did not pose any risk regarding an eventual patent application. Of the 36 diagnostic kits available on the market and the 21 health licenses granted as of December 2017, only four and three, respectively, offer techniques similar to the technique studied, but none of them has a related patent on record. The technique under development is innovative and can be applied in the field of public health in the Region of the Americas with foreseeable benefits.