As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, federal health officials are considering expanding testing capacity for certain commercial, academic, medical center, and public health laboratories to help maximize diagnostic testing in the U.S.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a request for information (RFI) to help determine labs’ ability to “feasibly provide additional testing capability if supplementary testing instruments and reagents from Thermo Fisher Scientific were made available.”
“Responses that propose substantial increases in capability, and provide adequate justification (e.g., can demonstrate the necessary personnel, infrastructure and other ancillary support needs to accommodate such expansions) are preferred,” HHS said in the RFI.
TMA encourages physicians who think the RFI is relevant to them or their organization, or who wish to comment on the diagnostic testing landscape, to respond directly to this HHS request. The deadline to submit comments is 5 pm Sept. 21.
As of Sept. 10, the results of almost 6 million COVID-19 molecular and antibody tests have been reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Find more information about testing for COVID-19 on the TMA COVID-19 Resource Center, which is continually updated with news, information, tools, and more.
Last Updated On
September 11, 2020
Originally Published On
September 11, 2020