Setting: Lack of innovation in diagnostics has contributed to tuberculosis (TB) remaining a global health challenge. It is critical to understand how new diagnostic technologies are translated into policies and how these are implemented.
Objective: To examine policy transfer for two rapid molecular diagnostic tests, GenoType(®) MDRTBplus and Xpert(®) MTB/RIF, to understand policy development, uptake and implementation in South Africa.
Methods: A policy transfer analysis framework integrating the key dimensions of policy transfer into one coherent model was used. Two phases of key informant interviews were undertaken with a wide range of stakeholders.
Results: Both tests were developed through innovative partnerships and responded to urgent public health needs. GenoType was introduced through a process that was more inclusive than that for Xpert. National policy and planning processes were opaque for both tests. Their implementation, maintenance and expansion suffered from poor communication and coordination, insufficient attention to resource implications, technical challenges and a lack of broader health systems thinking.
Conclusion: Our analysis identified the risks and benefits of partnerships for technological innovation, the complex intersections between global and national actors and the impact of health systems on policy transfer, and the risks of rescue- and technology-focused thinking in addressing public health challenges.