ePolicy News October 2024

ASCP Files Amicus Brief Urging Court to Overturn FDA Final Rule on LDTs

ASCP has filed an amicus curiae brief in a lawsuit urging the court to overturn the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Final Rule claiming authority to regulate laboratory developed tests. ASCP and four other medical specialty societies have joined together to bolster the lawsuits filed by the American Clinical Laboratory Association and the Association of Molecular Pathology. Read more.

Biden Signs Bill Blocking Laboratory Payment Rate Cuts

President Biden has signed a key temporary funding bill, which would block a series of massive cuts in the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule for 2025. Blocking cuts in laboratory payment rates for 2025 is a significant legislative victory for the laboratory community. Read more.

President’s Cancer Panel Invites ASCP to Workforce Meeting

ASCP Chief Medical Officer, Ali Brown, MD, FASCP was invited to a Sept. 12^th meeting of President Biden’s National Cancer Panel, on Developing and Retaining a Robust and Diverse Cancer Workforce. The panel, housed at the National Institutes of Health, is responsible for overseeing implementation of the National Cancer Plan. Read more.

ASCP 2024 Effective Test Utilizations Best Practice Recommendations Now Available

ASCP has released its 2024 Effective Test Utilization (ETU) Best Practice recommendations. The six recommendations were curated by member experts of the ETU subgroup, part of the ASCP Quality and Patient Safety Steering Committee. By implementing these and other ETU best practices in the laboratory, ASCP is striving to see higher quality care, lower costs, and a more effective use of laboratory resources and personnel. Read more.

New Forensic Pathology Scholarship Open to Medical Students and Residents. Apply by October 11

ASCP is looking for medical students and pathology residents interested in gaining experience in forensic pathology through the transformative ASCP Forensic Pathology Rotation Scholarship Award, funded through a grant supported by the National Institute of Justice and George Mason University. Applications are due by Friday, October 11, 2024. Read more.

Help ASCP Better Understand the Financial Realities of Laboratory Education

ASCP and ASCP BOC are conducting a survey related to the costs associated with laboratory education and training for professionals in medical and public health laboratories, including students and program directors. The goal is to identify deficiencies in existing student debt-reduction programs at federal and state levels and advocate for better support for laboratory professionals and propose solutions to address the educational and training needs of the laboratory workforce. The survey closes October 21. Read more.

Calling All Pathology Residents Interested in Global Health!

Are you an ASCP member resident or fellow, currently training in pathology in the US or Canada, who is interested in expanding your experience, knowledge, and exposure to pathology in a low- to middle-income country setting? If so, we encourage you to apply for the prestigious ASCP Resident Global Health Fellowship. The application deadline for this opportunity is November 1, 2024. Read more.