Testing Responsibly: Assessing Pneumonia FilmArray Use

The BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel is a sample-to-answer assay, cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It enables the detection of viruses, atypical bacteria, bacteria, and antimicrobial resistance marker genes from lower respiratory tract specimens.

While it is vital to hinder antimicrobial resistance, the pneumonia FilmArray is a very expensive test. How can we ensure it is properly utilized?

Brittani Weichman, PharmD, is a PGY1 pharmacy resident at UnityPoint Health Meriter in Madison, Wisconsin. In an exclusive interview with Contagion, Weichman noted that her team’s aim in assessing this test was twofold: to determine whether it was used correctly, and if it was used unnecessarily.

This poster, "Assessment of Pneumonia FilmArray Use on the Impact on Antimicrobial De-escalation Within an Integrated Health System," was presented by Weichman at IDWeek 2022, held October 19-23, 2022, in Washington, D.C.