Efforts to Allow FDA Oversight of Clinical Laboratory-Developed Tests Continue in New Congress

The VALID Act has been refiled and the FDA has declared its intent to issue a proposed rule to enable it to oversee LDTs Should the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have the authority to regulate laboratory-developed tests (LDT)? Advocates in favor of this outcome are working to make FDA oversight of LDTs a reality. On March 29, HR.2369—the Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development Act of 2023 (VALID Act)—was refiled in the US House of Representatives by Representatives Larry...

Presidents of Roche Diagnostics and Mayo Clinic Laboratories Discuss PAMA Reform and Upcoming Deep Cuts to Reimbursement for Common Lab Test

Organizations representing clinical laboratories and other critical healthcare providers urged Congress to pass the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act by January 1, 2023, to prevent deep cuts in reimbursements Lessons about the essential role of clinical laboratories during a pandemic was the central theme in a significant publication released recently. The authors were the presidents of two of the nation’s largest healthcare companies and their goal was to connect the value clinical...

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...

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...

Pooled Testing may Provide a Method of Increasing the Number of Coronavirus Tests Being Performed in the US

Pooled testing could become a critical tool for clinical laboratories to spot the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus among asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals COVID-19 testing for individuals has expanded in the US, but the number of people actually tested remains a small proportion of the country’s total population and clinical laboratory testing supply shortages continue to hamper progress. A technique known as pooled testing may help. Federal experts hope it will substantially increase the...
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