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For patients living in countries where no access to molecular testing exists, our partnership with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center makes it possible to mail dried blood samples on inexpensive, paper cards to the U.S. for testing. This low-cost, low-tech method was pioneered by Dr. Jerry Radich in 2017.

To date, over 600 patients in over 20 countries have obtained critical test results.

Spot On CML in Five Steps

How we confirm a CML diagnosis

  1. The Max Foundation works with partner physicians to identify patients in need of diagnostic confirmatory tests.
  2. Fred Hutch provides Spot on CML test cards to The Max Foundation, who mails them to the physicians.
  3. Physicians draw the patients’ blood and place four drops on their test cards. Then they mail the cards to The Max Foundation.
  4. The Max Foundation transfers the cards to Fred Hutch for processing in the lab.
  5. Upon receiving the results, The Max Foundation informs the physician and connects patients testing positive for CML to treatment.

As much progress as we have made in the past decade building capacity in LMICs, there are still countries where molecular diagnostics are not accessible locally. In 2019, our partners at the Radich Lab at Fred Hutch successfully performed molecular tests from dry blood samples received via simple paper cards through the Spot on CML collaboration. Medical institutions from across 20 countries were able to benefit from this innovative technology.

In November 2019, the Hutch and The Max Foundation received the Pioneers in Global Health award from the Washington Global Health Alliance for the Spot on CML collaboration. We’re grateful to our friends at Fred Hutch and the entire Max global community for making this collaboration possible.