What makes a good diagnostic tool: An elicitation using a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis framework

Diagnostic tools are essential to health-related decision-making for animals, humans and the environment. However, defining what constitutes a good diagnostic remains challenging. This study applied a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework to identify and weight key attributes of diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. A workshop conducted as part of the EU Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EU PAHW), engaging experts to define, discuss, and score evaluation criteria. Six core criteria were identified: Performance, Data Interpretation, Cost, Speed/Timeliness, Ease of Testing, and Generality. Performance was rated as the most important attribute, followed by Data Interpretation and Cost. These findings provide an evidence-based framework for assessing diagnostics and prioritising development efforts, and the approach can support One Health strategies for improving diagnostic accessibility and effectiveness.