Immucare, the country’s first laboratory which is exclusively dedicated to diagnose auto immune diseases has been inaugurated at Kochi. The laboratory, which is a joint venture of the MedGenome Labs and the Shenoy’s Care hospital, functions at the SEZ in Kakkanad. This is the only lab chain in India which specially focuses on diagnosing the auto immune diseases and conducting extensive research on it.
The lab is equipped to receive and test samples from all over the country. The Immucare director Dr Padmanabha Shenoy said that the collection centers in Kerala function primarily from Thriuvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. There are around 150 types of auto immune diseases that are genetic disorders, affecting the immunity power of the human body. It is estimated that there are about 15 – 20 lakhs people in Kerala who suffers from many kinds of auto immune disorders. It is often the lack of laboratories that are equipped to diagnose the disease at an early stage which makes it severe and life-threatening. Most people depend on the labs in America and Europe for diagnoses, which is quite expensive.
The lab at Kochi isn’t equipped with the facilities to find out new disorders. However, Dr. Padmanabha Shenoy said that Immucare can offer effective remedies for all such auto immune diseases. Immucare CEO Dr. Aparna Jayram pointed out that there has been a 23% increase in the patients with auto immune diseases, in India, between 2001 and 2009. The lab would be functioning based on the ANI technique global standards. Dr. Aparna further explained that cell-based diagnoses, automated ELISA antigen antibody tests, immunofixation, bloat based tests, ultra modern molecular based equipments, genetic diagnoses and electrophoresis would be conducted in the lab by a team of experienced doctors
Auto immune diseases have been identified as one of the main reasons which lead to the premature deaths of ailing women and children. Most of the times, these disorders may lead to a constant and unpleasant state of ill health. In India, there is hardly any diagnostic center of international standards in this field. Sam Santhosh, CEO of the MefGenomes Lab said that it is to overcome this limitation that Immucare was started in Kochi, in association with Dr. Padmanabha Shenoy who is the founder of the Shenoy’s Care hospital and the rheumatology brand ambassador of the Asia Pacific region. Immucare lab marketing vice president MC Abraham spoke at the event.
