ADVANCE Outlook: Lab Professionals : Diagnostics

H1N1 Rates Dropping

Kerri Penno — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:40:00 GMT

The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection rates may have peaked in late October, but the pandemic flu virus continues to be a potential source of illness in all age groups, including the elderly, according to a new report by Quest Diagnostics Inc. In its...(read more)

AMP Starts on Positive Note

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:14:00 GMT

KISSIMMEE, FL -- Christmas decorations next to palm trees are a fun treat for your Philadelphia-based reporter at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL, where opening remarks for the 15th Annual Meeting of the Association for Molecular...(read more)

ACOG Announces New Pap Guidelines

Amanda Koehler — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:15:00 GMT

In a week where the medical community is up in arms about the new mammogram guidelines, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) announced women should get their first Pap test at age 21, regardless if they are sexually active before...(read more)

3M Release Rapid Detection Test

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:52:00 GMT

3M, St. Paul, MN announced today the introduction of the 3M Rapid Detection RSV Test. R espiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infects the lungs and breathing passages and is a common cause of bronchitis and pneumonia in children under 1 year. The Rapid Detection...(read more)

Company Releases XMRV Assay

Amanda Koehler — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:24:00 GMT

Cooperative Diagnostics LLC, Greenwood, SC, recently announced the availability of a new diagnostic assay for Xenotropic Murine Leukemia-Related Virus (XMRV) to assist physicians in the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and other disorders potentially...(read more)

Syphilis Diagnosis

Amanda Koehler — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:43:00 GMT

A recent Science Daily article discussed a study that found blood tests for syphilis diagnosis produce false negatives 20-30 percent of the time. The study also found most health professionals don't have access to more reliable tests methods using fluorescent...(read more)

H1N1 Diagnosis

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:45:00 GMT

About a month ago, I was visiting with my sister. During our conversation, she brought up that her boyfriend had swine flu. I was concerned for him (and, additionally, for her) but also intrigued because he was the first person I knew who had H1N1. Working...(read more)

Biotest and Premier Announce Partnership

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:24:00 GMT

Biotest Diagnostics Corp., Rockaway, NJ, announced a multi-year agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners L.P., the group purchasing unit of Premier Inc., Charlotte, NC, for its advanced serology solutions, including traditional blood bank reagents,...(read more)

OCD Releases Anti-HIV Test

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25:00 GMT

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Raritan, NJ, announced today FDA approval of a diagnostic assay for the detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) types 1+2 (Anti-HIV 1+2) for use on the VITROS 5600 Integrated and VITROS 3600 Immunodiagnostic...(read more)

Be SMART

Kerri Penno — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:50:00 GMT

bioMérieux, an in vitro diagnostics company, heightened its role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance by launching its Solutions to Manage the Antimicrobial Resistance Threat (SMART) Campaign at the 49th Annual Interscience Conference for Antimicrobial...(read more)

Test Helps Tailor Therapy

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:38:00 GMT

The Journal of Clinical Oncology recently released study results from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. In this study, researchers found the use of a blood test helped doctors tailor therapy to metastic...(read more)

FDA Clears Vermillion's OVA1

Kerri Penno — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:00:00 GMT

The FDA has cleared Vermillion Inc.'s (Fremont, CA) OVA1 test to help detect ovarian cancer in pelvic masses requiring surgery. OVA1 identifies women who will benefit from referral to a gynecological oncologist for surgery, despite negative results from...(read more)

(Flu) Shots for All!

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:22:00 GMT

This morning I read a story in the New York Times about how New York is mandating flu shots for all healthcare workers, mostly out of fear of H1N1 outbreaks. A healthcare union in the state is protesting, saying: "Healthcare workers on the front lines...(read more)

Artel Launches Online Training Videos

Caitlin Maloney — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Artel, Westbrook, ME, a liquid handling company, announced the launch of an online series of pipetting technique training videos at http://www.artel-usa.com/ . The new addition to the company's training tools includes a series of 10 two-minute videos...(read more)

Rapid Tests for H1N1

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:47:00 GMT

Here's a great article from The New York Times featuring the lab and H1N1 testing. The story says rapid tests for H1N1 fail to properly detect infections more than half the time. Have you been finding this is true for your laboratory?...(read more)