In June 2011, Beckman Coulter was acquired by Danaher Corporation. Beckman Coulter, Inc. provides biomedical testing instrument systems, tests, and supplies for clinical laboratories worldwide. The company manufactures chemistry systems, such as routine chemistry systems that use electrochemical detection, chemical reactions with patient samples to detect and quantify substances of diagnostic interest in blood, urine, and other body fluids; and point of care testing products comprising rapid diagnostic test kits and hematology instruments that give physicians information to manage patients. It also provides immunoassay systems performing tests that assess thyroid function, screen and monitor for cancer and cardiac risk, provide information in fertility and reproductive testing, and monitor factors associated with anemia, blood viruses, and infectious disease; and molecular diagnostics that includes testing for infectious diseases, genetic diseases and disorders, human cancers, and pharmacogenics. In addition, Beckman Coulter offers cellular analysis for clinicians, such as hematology systems to study formed elements in blood, such as red and white blood cells and platelets; coagulation systems offering information to diagnose bleeding and clotting disorders and to monitor anticoagulant therapy; and flow cytometry systems used in applications in basic research, clinical research, drug discovery, and clinical diagnostics testing. The company?s life science products and services comprise life sciences automation products, centrifugation, and capillary electrophoresis. It sells its products through sales organizations and independent distributors to hospitals, physician?s offices, reference laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, medical schools, and research institutions. The company was formerly known as Beckman Instruments, Inc. and changed its name to Beckman Coulter, Inc. in April 1998. Beckman Coulter, Inc. was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Brea, California.
