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Sample packaging design contest flyer

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Eligibility

Formal or informal patient groups, researchers, advocacy organizations or other non-governmental organizations, including implementing bodies, and appropriate legal profit or non-profit entities carrying out activities in the field of in vitro diagnostics for use in low- and middle-income countries, students, engineers, designers, and start-ups are invited to apply.

Applications from individuals, organizations, and teams are welcomed.

Scope

The scope of this design competition includes:

• Secondary packaging
• Outer packaging (including a place for documents to be attached)

Each submission is required to include a design for both of these packaging layers. Absorbent materials and any layer beyond the outer packaging are not necessary to design but may be submitted. Primary receptacle designs are not within the scope of this design competition.

Selection criteria

Submissions will be reviewed by FIND and members of its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).

The following key factors will be considered in choosing the winning applicants:

• Impact of the initiative in terms of improved diagnostic sample viability, improved access to diagnosis, and/or cost effectiveness
• Degree to which the innovation/initiative is a significant improvement on previous approaches
• Practicality for replicating novel diagnostics approaches in other settings and regions
• Testimony by logistics partners, healthcare providers, and implementers
• Packaging solution developed to transport TB sputum specimens (required) and other types of specimens for TB and other diseases (desired)

Other factors that will be considered:

• Use of sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly materials
• Minimal training required for use
• Possibility of local production of design
• Product to be implemented in primary health facilities (lowest level of implementation in the healthcare system)

PRIZE

A prize of US$10,000, supported by FIND, will be presented for innovative design solutions that enable local manufacturing and improved supply of fit-for-purpose sample transport packaging to facilitate safe scale-up of access to diagnostic services.

FIND will support the winner’s attendance at the Union World Conference on Lung Health to showcase the winning design to an international scientific audience. FIND will also support match-making efforts between the winning designer and manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries.

In addition, FIND will support the pilot production run of the winning design for operational study.

The deadline for proposal submissions is 30 June 2019.