Breaking down the barriers of point of care testing in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
Point of care testing allows rapid testing for infectious diseases, providing fast results and the opportunity for treatment and management all in one visit.
We provide evidence-based recommendations to assist in the scaling up of point of care testing – helping make this life-saving diagnostic technique equitable and accessible to all.
How we help
Applied focus
We have one focus; to scale up point of care testing for infectious diseases. We build the evidence needed to help scale up the right test in the right place, for all those who need them.
Cross-discipline
Optimum results happen when we work together. We unite experts in diagnostics and health service research, epidemiology, social science, health economics, and modelling research.
Community driven
Our research and recommendations are rooted in reality; we collaborate closely with communities and have a particular focus on marginalised, remote and rural.
Latest News
Second Asia – Pacific conference on point of care testing for infectious diseases
After the success of the first POC conference in Sydney, RAPID Point of Care Research Consortium for Infectious Diseases (CIA Rebecca Guy) together with ASHM Health and local co-convenors Drs Rossaphorn Kittiyawamarn & Nittaya Phanuphak were pleased to bring POC25 to Bangkok (June 19 – 21, 2025).
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After the success of the first POC conference in Sydney, RAPID Point of Care Research Consortium for Infectious Diseases (CIA Rebecca Guy) together with ASHM Health and local co-convenors Drs Rossaphorn Kittiyawamarn & Nittaya Phanuphak were pleased to bring POC25 to Bangkok.
POC25 brought with it excitement, anticipation and a tangible buzz as ~285 delegates from 35 countries gathered for the 2nd Asia – Pacific Conference on Point of Care Testing for Infectious Diseases. Through plenary sessions, concurrent presentations, information booths and posters, participants shared insight into innovations in point-of-care testing, community-led programs and strategies for the implementation and integration to support equitable access to healthcare.
The conference provided a great platform to listen to diverse voices and perspectives from healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, industry and community representatives representing a broad range of regions and cultural backgrounds, communities, infectious diseases and career stages.
Keynote presenters included: Rena Janamuaysook (from the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation, Thailand) , Po-lin Chan (WHO South-East Asia Regional Delhi, India ), Nitika Pant Pai (Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Canada), Paulus Ripa (Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority, Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea), Leanne Robinson (Burnet Institute, Australia), Tanya Applegate (Kirby Institute, Australia).
With 2 years of dedication from the conference Executive and Scientific Program committees, 22.5 hours of content were delivered over 3 days. An overwhelming 148 oral presentations by over 100 speakers were part of the impressive agenda. Scholarships were offered to 122 International and local recipients from over 13 countries and regions including a strong delegation from Thailand as the host country. Delegates had a chance to interact with each other while wandering through a gallery of sponsor exhibits, posters or catching up over networking meals.
Around 20 people from New Zealand PNG, Fiji, Australia, Timor Leste and Indonesia had an opportunity to visit the Tangerine clinic, the first transgender health clinic in Southeast Asia.
The RAPID EMCR hosted ‘Speed Geek’ workshop was well attended by 67 delegates. Through rotating small group discussions, participants had the opportunity to interact with 6 speakers through quick sessions – like speed dating!
Endorsing partners: apcom, ASID, Australian Aid, Burnet Institute, CHAI, fhi360, FIND, GARDP, HIV-NAT, ICE-HBV, Kirby Institute. McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health, PATH, Saliva Direct and UNAIDS.
Sponsors: RAPID (Major), Cepheid (Gold), Roche (Silver) TAG THAI (Destination), TCEB (Destination), CNS (Media).