Supreme Court Considers Validity of Gene Patents
The United States Supreme Court heard arguments last month in Association for Molecular Biology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., et al, the landmark lawsuit challenging whether isolated human genes are patentable. The case questions Myriad Genetics’ right to patent BRCA1 and BRCA2, two genes that correlate to increased rates of breast and ovarian cancer. Read more

This month, 12,000 hospitals and laboratories nationwide will be asked to complete the National Survey on Health Information Exchange in Clinical Laboratories, administered by the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology. Results of the survey will provide policymakers with a comprehensive understanding of electronic laboratory information exchange capacity and activity among medical laboratories across the nation. Read more

Tamika Felder was an ambitious, young freelance journalist whose career in Washington, D.C., was just taking off. Then her doctor delivered the news that seemed like a death sentence. She had cervical cancer. Read more

Medical laboratories today are threatened by larger players—insurance companies and large medical centers—buying their facilities, combining services, and cutting costs—including jobs. Read more