Let’s Talk About Test Sensitivity

In point-of-care diagnostics, sensitivity is back in the spotlight — not as an academic metric, but as a practical constraint.

As respiratory panels expand (Covid, flu, RSV) and testing shifts closer to the patient, the industry is again confronting a familiar tension: speed and simplicity versus missed low-level positives. Visual lateral flow assays (LFA) remain attractive for access and cost, yet their limits are increasingly exposed in early infection, asymptomatic screening, and clinical decision support.

What’s interesting right now isn’t just new assays — it’s renewed attention on how existing assays are read, amplified, and interpreted, without changing their core chemistry.

At Vigilant Diagnostics, we’re spending a lot of time listening to developers, manufacturers, and clinicians about where sensitivity truly matters — and where it doesn’t. The answers are more nuanced than the marketing headlines suggest.

We’re curious how others in point-of-care diagnostics are thinking about this trade-off as we are well into the respiratory season. What’s your take? Please let us know by leaving a comment, or emailing our team at info@vigilantdx.com.