A groundbreaking study published today in AACC’s Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine shows that a new test could improve diagnosis and treatment of heart disease by measuring how effectively a patient’s high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) cleans up arterial cholesterol.
In response to ongoing Medicare reimbursement changes that aim to enhance patient care while reducing healthcare costs, AACC released a position statement today emphasizing that clinical laboratory tests must be used effectively for this new payment system to achieve its objectives. The statement advocates for increased collaboration between physicians and laboratory medicine professionals, who have the expertise to ensure that the right test is ordered for each patient and that results are interpreted correctly.
Breaking research published today in AACC’s Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine reveals that a number of diagnostic tests are less accurate when performed in pediatric patients with impaired kidney function. These findings show that healthcare providers should assess patient kidney function when interpreting clinical test results for certain conditions to ensure that patients receive the correct diagnoses and treatments.
A study published today in AACC’s Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine describes the creation of a first-of-its-kind patient sample bank that could improve consistency among blood tests used to diagnose heart attacks and advance care for cardiac patients.
In response to rising concern that many published scientific results may be false, the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology set out to replicate findings from the 50 most cited cancer studies from 2010–2012. A perspective in AACC’s Clinical Chemistry journal discusses the project’s preliminary results and suggests changes the research community can make to prevent reproducibility issues from inhibiting cancer care.
AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 AACC and AACC Academy Awards. Through this annual awards program, AACC and its academy strive to support laboratory medicine professionals in all stages of their careers and to build public awareness that clinical laboratory testing plays a critical role in improving patient health.
Since 2012, research teams in the Qualcomm Tricorder Xprize competition have vied to create a mobile diagnostic device modeled after the fictional medical tricorder from Star Trek. For the first time, competition finalist Chung-Kang Peng, PhD, will present data on his team’s tricorder prototype in a special session at the 69th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in San Diego.
Though marijuana edibles are becoming increasingly common, scant information exists on how to test drivers for impairment following their consumption. For the first time, research published today in AACC’s Clinical Chemistry journal evaluates the performance of roadside saliva tests for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) following consumption of edibles, showing that lower THC cutoff points are needed for these tests to effectively detect marijuana ingestion.
AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce the launch of AACC Learning Lab. Developed through a collaboration with NEJM Group—the publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine, and Area9 Learning—a global leader in adaptive learning technology—AACC Learning Lab is designed to help laboratory medicine experts expand their knowledge and enhance their ability to find answers to challenging patient health problems.
For the first time, researchers have developed tests that could improve treatment for heart failure patients by diagnosing the condition with greater accuracy, as well as by detecting the onset of congestive heart failure earlier. The findings were published in the Cardiovascular Disease issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC.
Research published today in AACC’s Clinical Chemistry journal shows that a test can identify patients with a history of cardiovascular disease who are at high risk of another heart attack or death and would benefit from treatment with the drug vorapaxar. This study and two others on tests that predict risk of adverse cardiovascular events are featured in the Cardiovascular Disease issue of Clinical Chemistry.
Laboratory medicine experts are using a growing understanding of the molecular signatures of heart disease to develop more precise tests for the early diagnosis, monitoring, and targeted treatment of this condition. A special issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, titled “Cardiovascular Disease: Impact of Biomarkers, Proteomics, and Genomics,” highlights the groundbreaking medical tests that could advance patient care for this chronic disease and its consequences, which range from cardiac arrest to congestive heart failure.
A study appearing online today in Clinical Chemistry, the premier journal in the field and a publication of AACC, has for the first time established precise newborn reference intervals for several steroid hormones and amino acids that play key roles in child development. This research could lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment of numerous developmental disorders, from pediatric cancer and diabetes to congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and could aid detection of neonatal exposure to harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Join AACC and leading experts in laboratory medicine and healthcare for a discussion of how harmonizing—or ensuring uniformity—among clinical test results can help patients get the care they need, and the policies needed to support harmonization efforts.
For today’s Senate hearing on laboratory testing in the era of precision medicine, AACC reiterated its position that regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) should remain under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), rather than expanding Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) oversight of LDTs. In a letter to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), AACC advocated for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to revise parts of CLIA to address the concerns raised by FDA and other stakeholders, rather than introduce costly and burdensome dual regulations for laboratories generating these critical tests, regulations that have yet to be proven necessary or effective.
With increasing public attention to overdose deaths and misuse of prescription medications in the United States, researchers today presented the results of a new study looking at abuse and misuse of gabapentin, a medication used to treat seizures and relieve nerve pain often associated with shingles.
Research announced today at the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo demonstrates that a first-of-its-kind next-generation sequencing test can detect HIV drug resistance mutations that conventional tests fail to identify. This test could play a critical role in helping clinicians to optimize HIV treatment regimens, while also helping public health initiatives to minimize the development of global resistance to antiretroviral drugs.
Researchers today unveiled results from a new blood test to help identify which patients are at an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings, presented at the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Philadelphia, showed that the biochip test, which allows multiple tests to be run on one blood sample, was as accurate as existing molecular tests that analyze DNA.
Researchers have successfully tested a new method for the early diagnosis in children and teenagers of diabetic nephropathy, a serious complication of diabetes that can increase risk of death. This new method, unveiled today at the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, would help pediatric patients get necessary treatment in a more timely manner.
AACC is pleased to announce the recipients of the AACC 2016 Corporate Supporter Awards. This year, AACC recognizes 47 different companies and organizations that generously support the association through sponsorships, advertising, and exhibiting. These significant contributions make it possible for AACC to improve patient care by fostering research, innovation, and professional excellence in the field of laboratory medicine.
The 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo is where the future of laboratory medicine and patient care comes into view. This year, late-breaking sessions will deliver insights into the latest advances that are transforming healthcare, including gene editing with CRISPR, the use of drones to transport patient samples in remote areas, and efforts to end the hepatitis C epidemic.
Today, researchers presented findings at the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting that DNA found circulating in the bloodstream—known as cell-free DNA—can be used to identify liver transplant patients with acute rejection with greater accuracy than conventional liver function tests. This cell-free DNA test could help liver transplant patients receive crucial treatment for rejection faster, and has the potential to improve the prognosis of kidney and heart transplant patients as well.
At the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo—the premier global conference and exhibit for laboratory medicine—visionaries in the field will illuminate the pioneering research and technology paving the way for better clinical testing and patient care. From July 31–August 4 in Philadelphia, the meeting will feature more than 200 talks on a broad range of timely healthcare topics. Highlights of these include plenaries that explore the latest research on cannabis use, reducing premature death worldwide, and innovations such as the programmable bio-nano-chip and “intelligent” surgical knife.
Presentation of the IFCC Foundation for Emerging Nations, a charitable trust. The aim of FEN is to support programmes that help to improve the quality and delivery of laboratory medicine services, particularly in emerging nations.
Leading researchers will discuss the global impact and role of diagnostic testing for the Zika virus as well as how the timing of infection affects pregnancy and newborns at a media briefing in advance of the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo being held in Philadelphia, July 31–August 4.
The IFCC Communications and Publications Division (CPD) announces the release of the IFCC app on both iOS and Android platforms.
AACC released a position statement today on the need to improve pediatric reference intervals, which play a crucial role in ensuring that children receive accurate medical diagnoses and effective treatment. The statement calls on Congress to mandate and fund a national repository of specimens from healthy children, which the clinical laboratory community needs to develop precise reference intervals.
On June 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule implementing the clinical laboratory provisions of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014, which will make the most significant changes to medical test reimbursement that clinical laboratories have seen in three decades. AACC applauds CMS for delaying full enactment of these reforms until 2018, a delay AACC had encouraged to give labs time to prepare for the new payment system and ensure that patient access to critical tests is not hindered.
AACC is pleased to announce that Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes will give a plenary presentation at the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Philadelphia. For the first time, Holmes will present data at a scientific conference that describes Theranos’ technologies, including small sample volume testing and finger-stick collection.
Today, AACC, the March of Dimes, and 66 other major healthcare organizations called for Congress to provide immediate emergency funding to prepare for potential Zika outbreaks in the U.S. by strengthening laboratory testing and rapid response capabilities for the virus. The organizations assert that this is a crucial step toward protecting pregnant women and infants from this devastating infection.
In response to calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate laboratory-developed tests, AACC released a position statement today strongly recommending that the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) remain the primary mechanism for overseeing these tests. CLIA has a proven track record of ensuring that labs provide accurate test results that enable patients to receive the care they need, and its regulations can be modified easily to enhance oversight of laboratory-developed tests without endangering patient access to this indispensable service.
AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 AACC and National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (NACB) Awards. Through this annual awards program, AACC and its academy, NACB, recognize individuals worldwide for exceptional research and service in the field of laboratory medicine, and aim to raise awareness that laboratory testing is essential to high quality patient care.
AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce that Robert Christenson, PhD, DABCC, FACB, will assume the position of editor-in-chief for AACC’s new journal, The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine: An AACC Publication, effective January 24.
Advances in a powerful lab technology known as mass spectrometry are beginning to revolutionize all areas of medical testing. The Mass Spectrometry issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, showcases the breadth of this technology’s impact on patient care—from making it easier to determine whether diabetes patients are at risk for life-threatening cardiovascular events, to reducing the amount of surgical procedures cancer patients must undergo.
Medical testing has been undergoing a quiet but extensive metamorphosis as labs adopt the versatile technology mass spectrometry, which enables more precise diagnosis. A special issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, titled “Clinical Mass Spectrometry: Achieving Prominence in Laboratory Medicine,” showcases the recent medical advances that this technology has made possible, from the development of new screening methods for designer drugs to a surgical knife that detects cancerous tissue.
The Mass Spectrometry issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, features pioneering research that could enable screening for two synthetic cannabinoids that are on the rise. This study could also help to reduce the popularity of designer drugs overall by making it easier to develop tests for the myriad of new, dangerous substances that emerge every year.
For the first time, researchers have developed tests that could improve the diagnosis of two rare childhood diseases known as congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs) and metachromatic leukodystrophy, and that could even lead to new treatments for CDGs. The findings were published in the Mass Spectrometry issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC.
AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce that Bradley Pine has been named vice president of education and meetings, effective today.
Today, AACC sent a letter to the House Energy & Commerce leadership in response to draft legislation proposing additional federal oversight of laboratory developed tests. In its statement, AACC recommended modifying the current regulatory structure for these tests instead of introducing costly, burdensome regulation that could hinder patient care.
AACC is pleased to announce that Stephen Poston has assumed the newly-created position of chief information officer (CIO) for the association, effective today. Prior to joining AACC, Poston served as director of information technology and office services at the Endocrine Society, an organization representing more than 18,000 scientists and clinicians. At the Endocrine Society, Poston directed multiple high-impact IT projects including a major undertaking to enhance the value of membership by replacing the Society’s association management system software.
AACC is pleased to announce that Michael J. Bennett, PhD, has been elected to serve on the AACC Board as president-elect beginning in January 2016, followed by successive terms as the association’s 68th president in 2017 and past president in 2018. The AACC membership also elected a new treasurer and two new members of the association’s Board of Directors who will take office at the start of 2016.
Join the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) and leading experts in laboratory medicine and diagnostic testing for a discussion of how laboratory medicine is driving the future of personalized medicine and the policies to support these new technologies.
Today, the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) released a comprehensive report on patient harm caused by diagnostic error that outlines the scope of this serious issue as well as potential solutions. AACC strongly supports the report’s findings that cohesive communication between all members of the healthcare team could help reduce these errors—a goal to which AACC and its members, laboratory medicine professionals, have long been committed.
AACC welcomed thousands of medical professionals and healthcare leaders to the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta from July 26–30. The meeting showcased revolutionary advancements in clinical testing technology and research that improves the ability of healthcare providers to diagnose patients quickly and accurately and make sure patients get effective medical treatment.
Clinical laboratory tests play a crucial role in making sure patients get appropriate care, yet many small labs and clinics in low resource settings cannot afford the instruments needed to provide these tests. Research on a novel fingerprick test that can perform all common clinical diagnostics could help to expand access to basic medical testing in the developing world, and will be featured at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo.
At the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, researchers will present findings that a first-of-its-kind smartphone test for chlamydia can detect the disease with high accuracy, which could reduce the prevalence of this sexually transmitted disease (STD) by making chlamydia screening easier and cheaper.
Hair samples can be used to measure the effects of asthma on the cortisol levels of women during pregnancy, according to research presented today at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta. This research also shows that levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, tend to be lower among pregnant women with asthma than among pregnant women without the chronic, inflammatory lung disease.
Researchers have successfully tested two new potential methods for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes in its standard and gestational forms. These findings, presented today at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta, may lead to easier, timelier, and more affordable ways of identifying and treating this chronic disease.
AACC is pleased to announce the recipients of the AACC 2015 Corporate Supporter Awards. Each year, AACC recognizes the companies and organizations that generously support the association through sponsorships, advertising, and exhibiting. These significant contributions make it possible for AACC to improve patient care by fostering research, innovation, and professional excellence in the field of laboratory medicine.
Research presented at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo will expand on the studies that led to a fingerprick Ebola test becoming the first and only rapid diagnostic for this disease to receive approval from the World Health Organization (WHO). This test could prove vital to breaking Ebola’s grip on West Africa by identifying suspected Ebola cases within minutes, and enabling healthcare workers to isolate and treat these patients much faster than is currently possible.
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