Diagnostics are the unsung heroes of healthcare. In fact, in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) influence up to 70% of clinical decisions while consuming less than 2% of healthcare. A wave of disruptive innovations, from early cancer detection to AI-assisted analysis, promises to revolutionise patient care and assist in fast-tracking health systems at the NHS England.

We list some of them below:

Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening

One of the most game-changing trends is multi-cancer early detection (MCED) – new blood tests that can screen for dozens of cancers in one go. About 70% of cancer deaths occur in cancers that have no recommended screening (Source: itif.org)

Traditional screening exists for only a few types of cancers, meaning most cancers are found late, when treatment is less effective. MCED tests like GRAIL’s Galleri aim to flip this paradigm by detecting a “common signal” shed by over 50 cancer types from a simple blood.

The UK’s NHS has been at the forefront of this innovation. In 2021, the NHS launched the world’s largest MCED trial, enrolling 140,000 participants aged 50-77 to see if Galleri blood tests can catch cancers. The trial’s goal is to reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses and mortality by finding tumours before symptoms. Preliminary results showed the test can accurately detect cancer signals, though the NHS is wisely awaiting final outcomes (due 2026) before mass rollout.

If successful, the impact would be enormous – experts envision a future where 75% of cancers are diagnosed at early stages via screening (half of those by MCED tests), versus only ~20%. In short, multi-cancer screening could shift oncology from reactive to proactive, improving survival rates across the board.

Point-of-Care Diagnostic Advances

Point-of-care (POC) tests bring testing closer to patients – in GP clinics, pharmacies, or even at home – delivering rapid results. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the power of POC diagnostics: for example, the UK distributed over 1.7 billion rapid lateral-flow test kits for COVID across the country, allowing millions of people to self-test and receive results in minutes. This massive deployment showed how decentralising diagnostics can empower public health and individual decision-making.

Today’s POC innovations span far beyond, from portable PCR machines, lab-on-a-chip devices, and smartphone-based assays for everything from infectious diseases to chronic conditions. The convenience and speed are unparalleled – a patient with chest pain can get a troponin blood test at the bedside in 15 minutes, or a child with a sore throat can be screened for strep at the pharmacy on the spot.

The market for point-of-care diagnostics is booming, expected to grow from about £33.6 billion in 2025 to nearly £65.9 billion by 2035 (7% CAGR). Source: factmr.com

This growth is fueled by the push for decentralised testing, home-based healthcare, and the need for faster diagnoses. Crucially, quicker diagnosis means earlier treatment. In conditions like sepsis, flu, or heart attacks, minutes matter, and POC tools save precious time by cutting out lab delivery and queue times, improve patient flow, reduce hospital admissions, and extend quality care to the mass.

AI-Powered Diagnostics and Digital Insights

AI algorithms are now assisting radiologists in analysing medical images, from mammograms to MRI scans, improving accuracy and efficiency.

Artificial intelligence is turbo-charging the diagnostic process in ways unimaginable a decade ago. AI-driven tools can sift through scans, slides, and test data with superhuman speed and often human-level (or better) accuracy.

For instance, researchers at Google developed a machine learning system that identifies metastatic breast cancer in pathology slides with 89% accuracy, outperforming human pathologists who scored 73%.

These results are transformative. AI can act as a digital “second pair of eyes,” catching subtle abnormalities and prioritising urgent cases. In fields like pathology and radiology, AI augments the workforce and helps address backlogs. The Royal College of Radiologists survey noted the UK has a significant shortage of radiologists; AI could help triage images and focus human expertise where it’s needed.

Beyond imaging, AI algorithms are being applied to ECG interpretation, dermatology (analysing skin lesion photos), ophthalmology (screening for diabetic retinopathy), and even lab analytics (flagging abnormal patterns in blood results).

The NHS is already exploring how AI might speed up diagnoses, detect cancers earlier, and save more. Importantly, clinicians remain in the loop – the vision is doctor empowerment. By handling the heavy data-crunching, AI lets healthcare professionals spend more time on patient care and complex decision-making. The result is diagnostics that are faster, more accurate, and more scalable across large populations.

Automated Laboratories and Robotics

In parallel with point-of-care decentralisation, centralised labs themselves are being revolutionised through automation. Clinical laboratories, the engine behind countless blood tests, biopsies, and genetic analysis, are increasingly adopting robotics, automated analysers, and intelligent software to boost efficiency.

The global lab automation market is projected to grow from around £4.8 billion in 2025 to £12 billion by 2035, reflecting strong investment in this arena.

Studies show that between 30% to 86% of lab errors occur in the pre-analytical phase, and replacing those steps with robots can eliminate a large portion of those errors. Total Lab Automation (TLA) systems now move samples from one machine to the next on conveyor belts or robotic arms. This drastically improves speed.

Ultimately, lab automation promises faster results to clinicians and patients, fewer diagnostic delays, and more resilient diagnostics services even during crises.

CRISPR-Based Diagnostics

CRISPR-based diagnostics use Cas enzymes (guided by RNA) to detect genetic material from pathogens or even human genes with ultra-high precision.

In 2020, this technology achieved a milestone: the first CRISPR-powered diagnostic test received FDA authorisation for COVID-19. Sherlock Biosciences’ CRISPR assay can identify SARS-CoV-2 RNA in about an hour, using basic equipment and at low cost. It was a proof-of-concept that CRISPR is a viable platform for rapid infectious disease testing.

CRISPR diagnostics have since expanded rapidly. Researchers have demonstrated CRISPR assays for tuberculosis, malaria, and even for cancer genes in blood (circulating tumor DNA). The ability to multiplex is another boon: because Cas enzymes can be programmed to different genetic targets, a single test could screen for dozens of pathogens or mutations at once by using a cocktail of guide RNAs.

Highly specific, rapid (some assays deliver results in under an hour), and potentially low-cost make CRISPR diagnostics especially promising.

In one study, a CRISPR-Cas13 test for viral RNA achieved over 95% sensitivity and 99% specificity, all for a materials cost of only a few cents per test. (Source: news-medical.net)

While most CRISPR diagnostics are still in experimental or regulatory phases, their trajectory is clear – they are adding a powerful new tool to our diagnostic arsenal, one that is as disruptive as it is versatile.

Conclusion: Bridging Innovation to Impact

The convergence of biotech, AI, and healthcare is reaching an inflexion point. From multi-cancer blood tests to AI algorithms and gene-editing diagnostics, the innovations in IVD are poised to transform healthcare delivery.