ABSTRACT
Many biologically relevant molecules can be measured from the samples taken from the body, which constitutes the foundation of the medical diagnostics industry. In 2003, the global clinical diagnostic market was more than U.S. $2 billion. Of that, sales of the laboratory instruments constituted slightly less than half, while the point of care systems and the diagnostic kits made up the rest. Even though this amount accounts for only a few percent of the total spending on health care, it continues to grow, and not surprisingly, a significant number of biomedical engineers are employed in the research, design, and manufacturing of these products.
