TABLE 1.

Ideal product attributes for POC HIV viral load test

Domain	Optimal criteria
Goal	Quantification of HIV RNA viral load copies/ml
Limit of detection	200 HIV RNA viral load copies/ml
Precision	Less than 0.3 log10 HIV viral load copies/ml, as compared to reference gold standard test
Time to results	Less than 30 min total
Throughput	Minimum of 15 tests per 8-h workday
Equipment	Small, portable, and robust, with uninterrupted power supply for use in primary health care clinics at a wide range of temperatures
Sample specimen	Finger capillary whole blood (maximum, 200 μl) or heel stick for young children; dried blood spot would be acceptable
Simple operation	The device should be capable of being used by health care workers, including technicians, nurses, and physicians, after a minimal amount of training
Quality control	Internal full positive and full process negative controls to monitor individual test results
Patient identification	Results can be easily linked to a specific patient
Data export for quality assurance	Full data export over mobile phone network with computer or tablet interface