US Labs Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity but Facing Shortage of Supplies, Finds NILA Survey
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 06 Oct 2020 |
|
Illustration
A survey of community and regional laboratories in the US has revealed a potential collective increase in COVID-19 testing capacity, although difficulties persist in accessing the necessary testing supplies.
The National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA St. Louis, MO, USA) conducted a survey of 12 twelve community and regional laboratories that revealed shortages of test kits, reagents, and other materials, such as plastic pipette tips, without which they were unable to perform the promised number of tests. In spite of an increase in their COVID-19 testing capacity, these labs do not have access to the supplies and materials necessary to perform critical COVID-19 tests. For example, one regional laboratory reported an allocation from a manufacturer of enough reagents to process 500 tests per day, although it has a capacity for performing at least 3,000 tests per day.
The NILA has stressed that speedy test results are critical for isolating infected patients and mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Community and regional laboratories report they can provide test results within one to two days which is significantly faster than the reported wait times experienced by most of the US population in recent weeks and months. According to the NILA, mitigating supply shortages will help increase the number of tests provided as well as the speed with which test results are delivered.
“The federal government must do whatever it can to help alleviate the testing supply shortages NILA members are experiencing,” said Mark Birenbaum, Ph.D., executive director, NILA. “We won’t emerge from this pandemic unless we focus on testing, and community and regional independent laboratories are key to scaling up our nation’s testing capacity. We have not seen transparency from the federal government regarding where test supplies are being allocated and how community labs can increase their access to these essential supplies.”
Related Links:
National Independent Laboratory Association
The National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA St. Louis, MO, USA) conducted a survey of 12 twelve community and regional laboratories that revealed shortages of test kits, reagents, and other materials, such as plastic pipette tips, without which they were unable to perform the promised number of tests. In spite of an increase in their COVID-19 testing capacity, these labs do not have access to the supplies and materials necessary to perform critical COVID-19 tests. For example, one regional laboratory reported an allocation from a manufacturer of enough reagents to process 500 tests per day, although it has a capacity for performing at least 3,000 tests per day.
The NILA has stressed that speedy test results are critical for isolating infected patients and mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Community and regional laboratories report they can provide test results within one to two days which is significantly faster than the reported wait times experienced by most of the US population in recent weeks and months. According to the NILA, mitigating supply shortages will help increase the number of tests provided as well as the speed with which test results are delivered.
“The federal government must do whatever it can to help alleviate the testing supply shortages NILA members are experiencing,” said Mark Birenbaum, Ph.D., executive director, NILA. “We won’t emerge from this pandemic unless we focus on testing, and community and regional independent laboratories are key to scaling up our nation’s testing capacity. We have not seen transparency from the federal government regarding where test supplies are being allocated and how community labs can increase their access to these essential supplies.”
Related Links:
National Independent Laboratory Association
Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Test
GPP-100 Anti-CCP Kit
Gold Member
SARS-CoV-2 Reactive & Non-Reactive Controls
Qnostics SARS-CoV-2 Typing
Latest COVID-19 News
- New Immunosensor Paves Way to Rapid POC Testing for COVID-19 and Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Long COVID Etiologies Found in Acute Infection Blood Samples
- Novel Device Detects COVID-19 Antibodies in Five Minutes
- CRISPR-Powered COVID-19 Test Detects SARS-CoV-2 in 30 Minutes Using Gene Scissors
- Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis Linked to COVID-19
- Novel SARS CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test Validated for Diagnostic Accuracy
- New COVID + Flu + R.S.V. Test to Help Prepare for `Tripledemic`
- AI Takes Guesswork Out Of Lateral Flow Testing
- Fastest Ever SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test Designed for Non-Invasive COVID-19 Testing in Any Setting
- Rapid Antigen Tests Detect Omicron, Delta SARS-CoV-2 Variants
- Health Care Professionals Showed Increased Interest in POC Technologies During Pandemic, Finds Study
- Set Up Reserve Lab Capacity Now for Faster Response to Next Pandemic, Say Researchers
- Blood Test Performed During Initial Infection Predicts Long COVID Risk
- Low-Cost COVID-19 Testing Platform Combines Sensitivity of PCR and Speed of Antigen Tests
- Finger-Prick Blood Test Identifies Immunity to COVID-19
- Quick Test Kit Determines Immunity Against COVID-19 and Its Variants
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models
Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more.jpg "Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)")
POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection
Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more
Highly Reliable Cell-Based Assay Enables Accurate Diagnosis of Endocrine Diseases
The conventional methods for measuring free cortisol, the body's stress hormone, from blood or saliva are quite demanding and require sample processing. The most common method, therefore, involves collecting... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel (1)_1.jpg "Image: Ultrasound image of micro-histotripsy liberation of biomarkers in a tumor (Photo courtesy of Joy Wang and Pradyumna Kedarisetti)"){kind=small}
Ultrasound-Aided Blood Testing Detects Cancer Biomarkers from Cells
Ultrasound imaging serves as a noninvasive method to locate and monitor cancerous tumors effectively. However, crucial details about the cancer, such as the specific types of cells and genetic mutations... Read more_1.jpg "Image: The innovative method to customize and strengthen DNA origami structure promises breakthroughs in medicine (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)")
New DNA Origami Technique to Advance Disease Diagnosis
DNA origami is a method used to create nanostructures with exceptional precision, utilizing DNA strands as the foundational building blocks. These structures, however, are inherently fragile and prone... Read more.jpg "Image: The QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Plus has received U.S. FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of QIAGEN)")
New Respiratory Syndromic Testing Panel Provides Fast and Accurate Results
Respiratory tract infections are a major reason for emergency department visits and hospitalizations. According to the CDC, the U.S. sees up to 41 million influenza cases annually, resulting in several... Read more
New Synthetic Biomarker Technology Differentiates Between Prior Zika and Dengue Infections
Until now, researchers and clinicians have lacked diagnostic tools to easily differentiate between past infections with different flaviviruses—a family of mostly mosquito- and tick-borne viruses that include... Read moreHematology
view channel
Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns
Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more
First 4-in-1 Nucleic Acid Test for Arbovirus Screening to Reduce Risk of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections
Arboviruses represent an emerging global health threat, exacerbated by climate change and increased international travel that is facilitating their spread across new regions. Chikungunya, dengue, West... Read more
POC Finger-Prick Blood Test Determines Risk of Neutropenic Sepsis in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Neutropenia, a decrease in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections), is a frequent side effect of certain cancer treatments. This condition elevates the risk of infections,... Read more
First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy
Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Diagnostic Blood Test for Cellular Rejection after Organ Transplant Could Replace Surgical Biopsies
Transplanted organs constantly face the risk of being rejected by the recipient's immune system which differentiates self from non-self using T cells and B cells. T cells are commonly associated with acute... Read more
AI Tool Precisely Matches Cancer Drugs to Patients Using Information from Each Tumor Cell
Current strategies for matching cancer patients with specific treatments often depend on bulk sequencing of tumor DNA and RNA, which provides an average profile from all cells within a tumor sample.... Read more
Genetic Testing Combined With Personalized Drug Screening On Tumor Samples to Revolutionize Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment typically adheres to a standard of care—established, statistically validated regimens that are effective for the majority of patients. However, the disease’s inherent variability means... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing
Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more
Automated Sepsis Test System Enables Rapid Diagnosis for Patients with Severe Bloodstream Infections
Sepsis affects up to 50 million people globally each year, with bacteraemia, formerly known as blood poisoning, being a major cause. In the United States alone, approximately two million individuals are... Read more
Enhanced Rapid Syndromic Molecular Diagnostic Solution Detects Broad Range of Infectious Diseases
GenMark Diagnostics (Carlsbad, CA, USA), a member of the Roche Group (Basel, Switzerland), has rebranded its ePlex® system as the cobas eplex system. This rebranding under the globally renowned cobas name... Read more
Clinical Decision Support Software a Game-Changer in Antimicrobial Resistance Battle
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious global public health concern that claims millions of lives every year. It primarily results from the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics, which reduces... Read morePathology
view channel
Hyperspectral Dark-Field Microscopy Enables Rapid and Accurate Identification of Cancerous Tissues
Breast cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS), also known as lumpectomy, is the removal of the cancerous lump and a small margin of surrounding tissue.... Read more
AI Advancements Enable Leap into 3D Pathology
Human tissue is complex, intricate, and naturally three-dimensional. However, the thin two-dimensional tissue slices commonly used by pathologists to diagnose diseases provide only a limited view of the... Read more
New Blood Test Device Modeled on Leeches to Help Diagnose Malaria
Many individuals have a fear of needles, making the experience of having blood drawn from their arm particularly distressing. An alternative method involves taking blood from the fingertip or earlobe,... Read more
Robotic Blood Drawing Device to Revolutionize Sample Collection for Diagnostic Testing
Blood drawing is performed billions of times each year worldwide, playing a critical role in diagnostic procedures. Despite its importance, clinical laboratories are dealing with significant staff shortages,... Read moreTechnology
view channel
New Diagnostic System Achieves PCR Testing Accuracy
While PCR tests are the gold standard of accuracy for virology testing, they come with limitations such as complexity, the need for skilled lab operators, and longer result times. They also require complex... Read more
DNA Biosensor Enables Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer
Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), recognized for its potential to form two-dimensional nanosheets like graphene, is a material that's increasingly catching the eye of the scientific community.... Read more
Self-Heating Microfluidic Devices Can Detect Diseases in Tiny Blood or Fluid Samples
Microfluidics, which are miniature devices that control the flow of liquids and facilitate chemical reactions, play a key role in disease detection from small samples of blood or other fluids.... Read more
Breakthrough in Diagnostic Technology Could Make On-The-Spot Testing Widely Accessible
Home testing gained significant importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the availability of rapid tests is limited, and most of them can only drive one liquid across the strip, leading to continued... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Danaher and Johns Hopkins University Collaborate to Improve Neurological Diagnosis
Unlike severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), mild TBI often does not show clear correlations with abnormalities detected through head computed tomography (CT) scans. Consequently, there is a pressing need... Read more
Beckman Coulter and MeMed Expand Host Immune Response Diagnostics Partnership
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and MeMed BV (Haifa, Israel) have expanded their host immune response diagnostics partnership. Beckman Coulter is now an authorized distributor of the MeMed... Read more_1.jpg "Image: Thermo Fisher will distribute Bio-Techne products across Europe (Photo courtesy of 123RF)")
