Illumina launches Global Health Access Initiative to support LMICs

Illumina announced the launch of the Global Health Access Initiative to support access to pathogen sequencing tools for public health in low- and middle-income countries, LMICs. The program, developed with guidance from customers, funders, and market facilitators including the nonprofit FIND, will provide reduced pricing structures for eligible sequencing products from Illumina to qualified global health funding entities and address key international logistics and supply chain challenges. “We know that enabling countries to perform pathogen sequencing locally strengthens health systems, enables better preparedness, and empowers countries to manage their priority health threats,” said Vanessa Moeder, head of Global Health at Illumina. “It also avoids costly and time-consuming shipment of samples abroad and leads to faster response times. We cannot lose time preparing for the next pandemic, and adoption of pathogen genomic surveillance in every country allows us to get ahead of infectious threats.”