The issue is significant because an ICMR assessment published in February 2026 compared four molecular diagnostic tests

The issue is significant because an ICMR assessment published in February 2026 compared four molecular diagnostic tests

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K Ananthan

A ₹882-crore government procurement of TB diagnostic kits has come under scrutiny over the decision to specify a particular brand in the tender, despite an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) assessment finding that multiple competing tests met the required technical standards and that one alternative was substantially cheaper.The Central Medical Services Society (CMSS), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, issued a tender on June 23, 2026, for a two-year rate contract to procure 1.5 crore TrueNat MTB Chips with 20 per cent Rif Chips, manufactured by Molbio Diagnostics. The procurement is for the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and is worth ₹882 crore after discount.Experts questioned why the tender identifies TrueNat by name instead of inviting bids for generic TB molecular diagnostic kits meeting prescribed technical specifications.Key DifferencesThe issue is significant because an ICMR assessment published in February 2026 compared four molecular diagnostic tests — QuantiPlus, PathoDetect, TrueNat and GeneXpert — and found that all four fell within World Health Organization acceptability criteria for sensitivity and specificity.The assessment compared prices. QuantiPlus was priced at ₹245 per test, compared with approximately ₹723 for PathoDetect, ₹834 for TrueNat and ₹1,388 for GeneXpert. For 100 patients, the estimated costs were ₹34,091 with QuantiPlus, ₹72,300 with PathoDetect and ₹83,400 with TrueNat.The ICMR report also highlighted differences in the diagnostic systems. TrueNat is a closed system compatible with its own testing devices, while QuantiPlus was described as an open kit that can be used with RT-PCR machines available at district and tertiary-care hospitals. It said governments may negotiate prices before procurement for further savings.“A procurement seeking a TB diagnostic kit could ordinarily specify the required technical parameters and allow manufacturers whose products meet those standards to compete on price and other relevant criteria. The present tender, however, identifies TrueNat by name,” said an official on condition of anonymity.Govt ResponseThe official said the government should explain why the tender was not based on technical specifications.However, the government said the tender was structured around the existing TrueNat infrastructure. Responding to queries, Union Health Ministry officials said the rate contract was intended to support more than 9,000 TrueNat machines already available in the public health system across the country nationally. The current cost, they said, is ₹588 per test excluding taxes.The ministry also said QuantiPlus was not considered because it does not diagnose multidrug-resistant TB. Its technology is currently approved for detection of TB, but not drug resistance, officials said. Therefore, they said, its cost should be compared with traditional sputum microscopy, costing about ₹50 per test, rather than existing nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) currently used.Officials said QuantiPlus is expected to cost about ₹340 per test. If the technology adds drug-resistance detection, it would be comparable with other NAAT technologies capable of diagnosing both TB and drug-resistant TB, they said.The tender also drew attention because its timing coincides with Molbio’s initial public offering, the developer of TrueNat MTB chips paired with 20 per cent Rifampicin.Published on August 11, 2026