MONTREAL — The Telus Friendly Future Foundation has donated $170,000 to the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) to help support researchers developing a 3D printing alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs used for Covid-19 screening tests.
To address anticipated shortages of traditional swabs, researchers at CHUM are focusing on a 3D printing strategy where engineers, researchers and clinicians will work collaboratively to design, prototype and manufacture materials that will be tested by clinicians to ensure continuity of Covid-19 screening despite potential supply chain shortages, says the news release.
“In the face of this urgent need for action, the Fondation du CHUM is extremely grateful that its project has been selected by the Telus Friendly Future Foundation. It is an honour to be able to count on this support to carry out the research project for the production and 3D printing of swabs, an innovative project where cutting-edge technology allows us to develop autonomy in order to better cope with the current crisis,” said Julie Chaurette, president and CEO of the Fondation du CHUM, in the news release.
Nasopharyngeal swabs are the preferred sampling method for rapid detection of Covid-19, and finding an alternative to traditional swabs is essential, says the release. This will allow healthcare teams at CHUM, a specialized Covid-19 facility, to maintain their ability to diagnose infected patients in order to isolate them and limit the spread of the novel coronavirus within the population.
“Thanks to the innovative solutions of the Fondation du CHUM, we are confident that our contribution will facilitate Covid-19 screening in Quebec,” said François Gratton, executive vice-president and group president of Telus, and chair of Telus Health and Telus Québec.
