Nili Tamir is the owner of BMT Bio Marketing (Tel/Fax: 04-639-
6116), a company that makes, imports and markets home
diagnostic kits. Currently her company sells a kit that
allows everyone to do a test for strep throat and have the
results immediately.
She told Globes, "I discovered that Israelis had no
control over monitoring their own health. We ostensibly live
in a modern country that on one hand opposes overuse of
antibiotics, and raises people's awareness of their health,
but without allowing them to choose alternatives on the
other."
Tamir had the idea of developing home diagnostic kits for
various illnesses. "I realized that if there was a kit to
test for sore throat, cholesterol, or fecal blood, it could
help people obtain immediate treatment, saving them a lot of
time, suffering, and running about. It would also give them
the chance to carry out tests in the privacy of their own
homes."
Enthused by her idea, Tamir developed a kit for Strep A, to
diagnose the common bacteria infections in the throat. "I
bought the chemical components, separated them, repackaged
them, and marketed them under a completely new concept," she
explains. "This was a kit for instant diagnosis. Within five
minutes, it would diagnose whether Streptococcus A was the
cause of inflammation in the throat."
A month ago, Tamir launched another kit, called "Lab On
Time," designed to test for blood in feces. Here too, the
results are available within five minutes. Other kits under
development include hepatitis and malaria detection, as well
as glucose testing and urinalysis, and more.
Her kits are currently sold at Kupat Holim Meuchedet and
Maccabi Healthcare pharmacies, New Pharm Drugstores Ltd.,
independent pharmacies, NATALI The Israeli Company for
Emergency Medical Services, and the Bikur Holim Medical
Center. The kits cost NIS 33.70 each, with a discount at
health funds.
She is now working on another a line of tests, including
fatty acid concentrations in red blood cells, the Prostate-
Specific Antigen (PSA) test, and mononucleosis. In contrast
to the first kits, these tests will be carried out by a
pharmacist at a pharmacy. However, the patient will also have
an answer within five to ten minutes.
Globes asked if it might not be dangerous for a person
to carry out such a test as for occult blood in the stool and
discover that he or she has cancer.
Tamir said that blood in stool is not a fully reliable
indicator for cancer, but that it is definitely a warning
sign. Anyone getting it would definitely be advised to
consult with a doctor as soon as possible.
In any case the results will require a doctor to treat the
illness.
