LDT Regulation: New Survey Asks Readers for Their Views About Two Bills Before Congress

Survey respondents can give their opinions about the proposed VALID and VITAL acts Two bills are pending in Congress, and each is written to change the current regulatory scheme for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) and in vitro clinical tests (IVCTs). The bills go by the acronyms of the VALID Act and VITAL Act. Many clinical laboratories offering LDTs today may be unaware of the details within each bill as currently written. An LDT is a proprietary diagnostic test developed and performed by...

United Kingdom’s National Health Service Now Offers Liquid Biopsy Tests to Certain Cancer Patients as a Complement to Anatomic Pathology Testing

Decision is part of UK effort to diagnose 75% of all cancers at stage I or stage II by 2028 and demonstrates to pathologists that the technology used in liquid biopsy tests is improving at a fast pace Pathologists and medical laboratory scientists know that when it comes to liquid biopsy tests to detect cancer, there is plenty of both hope and hype. Nevertheless, following a successful pilot study at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, England, which ran from 2015-2021, the UK’s...

Clinical Laboratory Conferences Continue to Tackle COVID-19 Protocols to Put Attendees at Ease

Proof of vaccination, masking, and availability of on-site testing will continue to be measures taken at in-person events for pathologists and medical laboratory professionals Organizers of in-person clinical laboratory conferences face an interesting dilemma as they plan events in 2022: Where do they draw the line with COVID-19 safety protocols? On one hand, the surge of cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant seems to be in its waning stages and large swaths of the population are...

Canadian Scientists May Have Discovered Why Astronauts Suffer from ‘Space Anemia’

Study conducted on International Space Station found crew’s red blood cells were destroyed 54% faster in space than while on Earth Hemolysis in blood specimens is something that clinical laboratories deal with every day. Now researchers in Canada have determined that, while astronauts are in space, hemolysis is a causative factor in the condition known as “space anemia.” Hematologists whose clinical laboratories process a steady volume of complete blood count (CBC) tests to diagnosis anemia...

Despite Technical Challenges During COVID-19 Pandemic, Healthcare Networks Plan to Increase Investment in Telehealth Technologies

Survey shows more than 50% of hospitals and health systems plan to increase virtual care services within two years, a development that can change how patients access clinical laboratory testing services If anything positive came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the growing acceptance by physicians and health payers of telehealth—including telepathology, teleradiology, and other types of virtual doctor visits—as a way for patients to meet with their physicians in place of in-office...

Pew Charitable Trusts and CDC Find Hospitals Are Overusing Antibiotics, Set New Targets for Antibiotic Prescribing and Avoiding Antimicrobial Resistance

Clinical laboratories and microbiology tests provide key tools for physicians engaged in antibiotic stewardship programs One important and continuing trend in healthcare is the need for hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical providers to introduce effective antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs). The findings of a recent study on antibiotic stewardship emphasize the need for improvement and suggest guidelines that will involve and engage clinical laboratories. Antibiotic-resistant...
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