Quest Diagnostics (DGX) New Pact Targets Health Inequity Issue

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated DGX recently collaborated with Social and Health Research Center (SAHRC) to address childhood obesity and hunger worsened by COVID-19 in underserved communities. SAHRC has developed the Bienestar/Neema Coordinated School Health Program -- an evidenced-based program designed to engage children and increase accessibility.

This program has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as the National Institutes for Health (NIH).

More in the News

The Bienestar/Neema curriculum will target more than 180,000 children and their families, initially in Texas and New Jersey. Further plans include reaching close to a million students in 10 school districts in four other U.S. states.

Quest Diagnostics and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation are supporting this effort as part of Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) -- an initiative dedicated on providing resources, funding, testing services and education to combat health disparities in underserved communities across the United States.

Significance of the Collaboration

Per management of Quest Diagnostics, enhancing the health and well-being of underserved communities was a vital need before the pandemic, and is required more even today. Per a report by the CDC, during the COVID-19 phase, low-income and racial/ethnic minority families, particularly Hispanic and African American, were under even greater threat of health complications such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory ailments and other predisposing conditions.

The collaboration is to support the digital evolution of the powerful curriculum to make it more attractive to today's youth and more affordable for key school districts' adoption across the country.

Through digitization of content, the schools price dropped from $18,000 for the printed version to under $1,000 for the digitized version. The drop in curriculum cost makes it accessible for school districts serving low-income communities as well. This will help in improving the health and quality of lives of underserved communities.

Notable Developments

In May 2021, Quest Diagnostics unveiled several new enhancements to its COVID-19 testing services, with the goal to help combat the virus while empowering more individuals and families to resume "back to life" activities with greater safety this spring, summer and beyond.

In the same month, Quest Diagnostics collaborated with Gingko Bioworks to provide COVID-19 Kindergarten through Senior (K-12) school testing services to support classroom learning nationwide. Under the program, school administrators can implement a testing program that tests students, teachers and staff using pooled specimens.

Industry Prospects

Per a report by RESEARCHANDMARKETS, the global COVID-19 mitigation product market is expected to reach a worth of $1.4-$1.9 trillion by 2024.

Peer Developments to Combat COVID-19

Quest Diagnostics has been facing tough competition in the space of COVID-19 solutions from companies like Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, or LabCorp LH, QIAGEN N.V. QGEN and Abbott Laboratories ABT.

In May 2021, LabCorp announced the receipt of FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit for ages two to 17. The authorization expands the use of Pixel by Labcorp to children and adolescents two years of age and older when purchased by a parent or guardian.

In May 2021, QIAGEN announced the receipt of FDA’s EUA for the fast and easy-to-use QIAreach Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Test. With authorization, QIAGEN can start making its portable antibody testing device available to health-care professionals in the United States.

In April 2021, Abbott announced the start of shipping of its BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Self Test to retailers across the country. The BinaxNOW Self Test initially will be available at CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart as part of Abbott's commitment to get the country's most studied COVID-19 rapid test to as many Americans as possible.

Zacks Names “Single Best Pick to Double”

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it’s poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
QIAGEN N.V. (QGEN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.