Supreme Court Decision on USPSTF Produces Uncertainty 

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s preventive services mandate and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) appointments, securing continued access to preventive care for patients. However, the ruling also gave the HHS Secretary the authority to remove USPSTF members and reject their recommendations, raising concerns about political interference and the Task Force’s scientific independence. ASCP and partner organizations are now evaluating the ruling’s implications for future preventive service recommendations and access. Read more. 

President Signs Massive Tax and Budget Bill 

President Trump’s One, Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) has been signed into law, bringing sweeping changes to healthcare, student financial aid, and artificial intelligence policy. While the bill includes positive provisions like a Medicare Physician Fee Schedule increase and expanded 529 fund usage for credentialing programs, it also introduces concerning cuts to Medicaid, CHIP, and federal student loan programs, potentially impacting healthcare workforce development. ASCP and other medical societies have raised alarms about the bill’s potential to worsen healthcare access, student debt burdens, and physician shortages. Read more.  

State of Science Address Calls for Radical Reform of STEM in the U.S. 

In her State of Science address, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt warned that the U.S. is losing ground in global scientific leadership due to declining STEM investment, outdated policies, and regulatory burdens. She and fellow panelists called for major reforms, including streamlined regulations, modernized funding, and education initiatives to restore American competitiveness. ASCP supports these efforts through advocacy, workforce outreach, and its Institute for Science, Technology and Policy, promoting evidence-based policy and advancing laboratory medicine as a pillar of U.S. scientific leadership. Read more. 

ASCP’s Leading Laboratories Recognition Program is Now Open to More Laboratories! 

ASCP’s Leading Laboratories recognition program has expanded to include all hospital-based accredited laboratories in the U.S., beyond just those accredited by The Joint Commission. The program celebrates laboratories for leadership, mentorship, innovation, and their essential role in improving patient care, while also supporting recruitment and investment through public recognition of excellence. ASCP aims to raise awareness of the laboratory community and promote diagnostic excellence by offering more labs the opportunity to showcase their achievements and commitment to quality. Read more.  

ASCP Voices Concern Over Disbanding of ACIP 

On June 9, 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), raising serious concerns among health organizations, including ASCP, about the spread of misinformation and damage to public trust in vaccine science. The decision comes amid rising cases of preventable diseases and the appointment of some new committee members who lack relevant expertise or hold vaccine-skeptical views, risking a loss of scientific rigor and institutional memory. In response, ASCP joined a coalition of medical organizations in supporting an emergency AMA resolution demanding the reversal of the dismissals and a Senate investigation, underscoring its leadership in advocating for evidence-based vaccine policy. Read more.  

Launching the Future of Laboratory Science: ASCP Campaign Targets Next-Gen Talent 

ASCP and the Medical and Public Health Laboratory Workforce Coalition launched a national campaign to promote medical laboratory careers to students, educators, and counselors through email, social media, and educator publications. Centered around the message “Save Lives with Science,” the campaign aims to address critical lab staffing shortages by raising awareness of career pathways in laboratory medicine. Read more.  

Ring Scholarship Expands Access Through Varied Outreach 

ASCP recently closed the second year of applications for the Dr. Alvin Ring Empowerment Scholarship, which supports students from medically underserved or rural areas pursuing education in medical laboratory sciences. This year ASCP implemented targeted outreach strategies—such as engaging with science teachers, school counselors, and promoting the scholarship on public websites—which led to a 55% increase in eligible applications and 10 submissions from high school students. Read more.  

Addressing Workforce Challenges: ASCP at the 2025 CMSS Workforce Summit 

ASCP joined more than 20 medical societies at the 2025 CMSS workforce summit to address physician workforce challenges, including rural shortages, healthcare consolidation, and reliance on international medical graduates. ASCP reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the pathology workforce through data-driven advocacy and career pathway development, led by the Institute for Science, Technology, and Policy. Read more.  

Empowering New Lab Staff with Foundational Skills 

ASCP has launched a free eLearning series, “Basic Medical Laboratory Skills,” offering beginner-friendly, CMLE-accredited courses on foundational laboratory topics such as safety, terminology, math, equipment, procedures, and quality control. Designed by ASCP experts to support lab directors and new team members, the series helps ease the burden of on-the-job training and provides practical, case-based learning for those entering or refreshing their knowledge in medical laboratory work. Read more.  

On June 3, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt, PhD, delivered the second annual State of Science address, calling attention to the urgent need for reform in U.S. science and technology policy. Amid historic declines in federal STEM investment, international talent inflow and researcher support, Dr. McNutt emphasized that the U.S. is falling behind in global scientific leadership. Key challenges included excessive regulatory compliance standards, outdated funding processes, and the lack of a cohesive national research strategy. Panelists echoed the need for change, calling for pro-innovation policy, education reform and cultural shifts to restore American competitiveness and inspire the next generation of U.S. scientists.  

ASCP remains a strong advocate for evidence-based policy that supports laboratory professionals and patients. From defending quality patient care from excessive regulatory costs and burdens to championing educational workforce outreach, ASCP is leading efforts to support the pathology and laboratory medicine community and promote diagnostic excellence (click here to see ASCP’s 2025-2026 Public Policy Priorities). Through its Institute for Science, Technology and Policy (ISTP), ASCP will continue driving research-informed policy that ensures U.S. laboratory medicine remains a cornerstone of global scientific leadership. 

View the full State of the Science address here and explore ASCP's current policy and advocacy efforts here.  

ASCP is proud to launch “Basic Medical Laboratory Skills,” a new eLearning series designed to empower new lab team members with essential knowledge. With 1.0 CMLE credit offered per course and free access in the ASCP Store, this CMLE-bearing series dives into the core building blocks of medical laboratory work: Laboratory Safety, Laboratory Terminology, Laboratory Math, Basic Operations of Laboratory Equipment, Routine Procedures, and Quality Control. Each beginner-friendly course blends foundational learning with practical, case-based examples—perfect for team members new to the medical laboratory or wanting to brush up on some skills.  

This training package was intended to offset the burden of on-the-job training required of medical laboratory directors as they level-set new and uncertified members of their laboratory teams. The scope of the education was designed by the ASCP Workforce Steering Committee, and the educational materials were developed by a wide range ASCP member subject matter experts serving active medical laboratory roles.  

Help us spread the word about this high-quality and free educational training package! Share this resource with your laboratory network, trainees, and new lab team members who could benefit from an introduction to core medical laboratory skills.  

On June 11, ASCP joined more than 20 medical specialty societies at the 2025 Council for Medical Specialty Societies workforce summit to address pressing challenges facing the U.S. physician workforce issues. The summit featured in-depth discussions on the supply and distribution of physicians, rural workforce shortages, evolving practice environments and workforce modeling innovations. Key discussion points for the summit included the rising impact of healthcare consolidation on patient access and care delivery; the need for more robust, standardized workforce data; and the U.S. healthcare system’s reliance on international medical graduates to fill critical care gaps.  

ASCP is committed to advancing pathology workforce resilience through data-driven policy advocacy and research. ASCP’s Institute for Science, Technology, and Policy is currently expanding its efforts to strengthen pathology career pathways and increase pathologist visibility. ASCP’s participation in the CMSS summit reflects its dedication to supporting and advocating for the pathology and laboratory medicine workforce. Learn more about ASCP’s workforce initiative efforts here.  

At the end of May, ASCP closed the application window for its second year of the Dr. Alvin Ring Empowerment Scholarship for Laboratory Professionals, established to provide financial aid to students from medically underserved and/or rural areas who are pursuing higher education in the medical laboratory sciences. This scholarship is unique in that it provides scholarship support to a wide range of applicants—from high school seniors interested in starting their education in medical laboratory science to in-service laboratory professionals looking for career advancement through higher education.   

In the first year of the scholarship’s administration, 14 scholarships were awarded to students across the U.S. in NAACLS-accredited HTL (2), MLT (4), and MLS (8) programs. Despite outreach efforts, no high school student applications were received in this initial cohort of 73 eligible applicants. As a part of process improvement strategies to recruit this new target audience, ASCP, in its second year of scholarship engagement, deployed a number of additional outreach strategies to reach high school students interested in this financial aid opportunity.   

Some of these strategies included: 1) in-person and virtual engagement with high school science teachers (e.g., ASCP staff engagement at the National Science Teaching Association Conference 2025) and school counselors (advertisements through the American School Counselors Association’s website and e-Newsletter channels); 2) promotion on free, public-facing scholarship websites (i.e., Fastweb, Scholarships.com, Peterson’s); and 3) development of bilingual (English and Spanish) flyers distributed electronically via the ASCP Online Community pages and at ASCP KnowledgeLab 2025. Using this improved outreach strategy, 116 eligible applications were received—a 55 percent increase over 2024.   

Although active MLS students (not yet in the laboratory workforce) represented the largest group of applicants (41 percent), applications from 10 eligible high school students were received, representing 9 percent of the eligible applicant pool. This is a significant improvement in recruitment strategies for this specific target audience; ASCP intends to continue to learn and adapt outreach strategies to expand this applicant cohort in future years.  

ASCP and the Medical and Public Health Laboratory Workforce Coalition launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of medical laboratory careers among students, educators and counselors. In partnership with Spyre, this multichannel campaign reached out through email, social media, and national educator publications to promote meaningful, high-demand opportunities in laboratory medicine. The effort centers on informing high school and early college students as well as teachers and school counselors about career pathways into medical and public health laboratories.  

The core message of the campaign is “Save Lives with Science,” as it is part of ASCP’s broader mission to address nationwide laboratory staffing shortages and open new doors for future professionals. View educator resources and student tools here and learn more about ASCP’s workforce advocacy and outreach here. 

On June 9, 2025, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr. terminated all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an advisory panel that provides crucial guidance on vaccine safety, including schedules and dosing. While Secretary Kennedy stated that the move was aimed to “rebuild public trust and eliminate perceived conflicts of interest,” it has sparked significant concern among leading U.S. health organizations— including ASCP—over the spread of misinformation about evidence-based medicine and the further erosion of public confidence in vaccine science. 

The move by the HHS Secretary is particularly concerning in light of rising cases of preventable diseases in the U.S., such as measles, mumps, rubella, and pertussis (whooping cough). Additionally, by replacing the entire committee with new members, some of whom have expressed vaccine skepticism or lack relevant expertise, there is potential for significant loss of crucial institutional memory and the committee's ability to maintain scientific rigor. 

In response to the Secretary’s actions, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed an emergency resolution during the 2025 AMA House of Delegates meeting, of which ASCP delegates were a part. The emergency resolution called for the “immediate reversal” of the changes to ACIP and urged the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to investigate the removals. ASCP Delegates supported the resolution as part of the Pathology Section Council (PSC), which is comprised of delegates from the American Society of Cytopathology, ASCP, the College of American Pathologists, and the National Association of Medical Examiners. The emergency resolution yielded a joint letter, signed on June 18, to the HHS Secretary expressing these strong concerns, calling for transparency and accountability in the vaccine oversight process. Numerous organizations have issued similar responses.  

ASCP’s AMA delegation actively engages in pertinent policy discussions with partner organizations and exemplifies leadership in representing the field to colleagues at the AMA. The members of ASCP’s AMA delegation include Ed Donoghue, MD, MASCP; Jennifer Stall, MD, FASCP; ASCP Past Presidents Steve Kroft, MD, MASCP, and William Finn, MD, MASCP; as well as H. Clifford Sullivan, MD, FASCP; Nirali M. Patel, MD, FASCP; and Peter DeRosa, MD, FASCP. Additionally, Ebruphiyo Okpako, MD, FASCP, and Katerina Kearns, MD, FASCP, represent ASCP on the Resident and Fellow Section. AMA will host the Interim Annual Meeting in November, and ASCP will report on any issues that arise.  

ASCP’s Leading Laboratories recognition program is expanding to include additional eligible laboratories. The Leading Laboratories designation recognizes laboratory teams for exemplary leadership, mentorship, and innovative best practices. The designation supports a positive patient- and community-centric mission, which increases visibility for laboratories and their vital role in a patient’s healthcare journey.   

Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, ASCP Chief Medical Officer, says, “We are expanding the program to give more laboratories the opportunity to showcase the great work they are doing to raise awareness of the laboratory community; this is a celebration of laboratories and their positive impact on patients.”   

When it first launched in 2021, the Leading Laboratories program was a collaborative initiative with The Joint Commission and was only open to Joint Commission-accredited laboratories. With program expansion, much of the content in the program remains the same; however, laboratories accredited by other providers will now also be eligible to apply for the designation, according to Dr. Brown.  

Leading Laboratories, developed and refined by laboratory leaders, provides a set of criteria that is designed to quantify and exhibit excellence in the areas of elevating quality outcomes, supporting professional development, cultivating trusted leadership, and promoting laboratory visibility.   

President Donald Trump’s One, Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which has dominated Congress’s attention for the last few months, has been signed into law by the president. The budget and tax legislation includes scores of policy changes impacting healthcare, some good, and some bad. During Congressional consideration of the measure, ASCP and advocacy partners, including the American Medical Association, expressed concern about several provisions in the bill. In addition, the legislation includes numerous changes to federal student loan programs that may exacerbate healthcare workforce shortages. 

Medicare/Medicaid: Congress included a positive update of 2.5 percent to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) in OBBB for 2026. Unfortunately, the final bill did not include the House-passed—and ASCP endorsed—provisions that would have provided a permanent annual update tied to the Medicare Economic Index (a measure of inflation for medical practice costs).  

Moreover, there is a concern that the bill, which increases the U.S. debt an estimated $2.3 trillion over the next 10 years, could result in significant cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and many other federal programs. These cuts would be required by an existing law, known as the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, which imposes automatic across-the-board cuts in federal spending when deficits increase. However, it is unclear whether these cuts would actually occur as Congress has in the past blocked some of these cuts. ASCP will be working to prevent such cuts from impacting Medicare and other public insurance programs. 

In addition, the Congressional Budget Office, an independent advisory agency to Congress, estimates that the legislation would cut Medicaid and CHIP about $1 trillion over 10 years and could result in more than 10.5 million individuals losing their insurance coverage. ASCP, along with 75 other medical societies, urged Congress not to cut benefits or access to these programs for eligible individuals. 

Education and Student Financial Aid Changes: On the positive side, the new law includes the provisions of the Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, for which ASCP has been lobbying. The measure allows individuals to use their 529 funds to pay for qualified credentialing programs and related costs. The change means that 529 funds may soon be used to pay for certification examinations, study guides, and possibly even the cost of certain laboratory training programs. 

Trump’s signature bill also includes a number of cuts—estimated at $300 billion—to Federal Student Financial Aid programs. The bill eliminates the GradPLUS program, used by 40 percent of medical students, effective July 1, 2026. It includes “legacy provisions” to maintain access to loans for current borrowers. OBBB also sets caps on the amount of financial aid a student can borrow. It consolidates the number of student loan repayment options from a dozen to just two and lengthens the loan forgiveness term for these programs from 20 years to 30 years.  

In addition, the legislation imposes a cap on the ParentPLUS program of $65,000. These loans will no longer be eligible for forgiveness like other student loans. Pell Grant program eligibility would also change—part-time students would no longer be eligible, but eligible students will soon be able to use this program to pay for short-term professional programs, like certificate programs.  

The loan caps are expected to be particularly onerous for medical students. The legislation imposes a cap of $100,000 for students seeking master’s degrees and $200,000 for doctoral, medical, and professional degrees. According to the Education Data Initiative, medical school graduates owe approximately $240,000 on average on student loans. The new caps will be particularly challenging for individuals attending private medical schools. The American Association of Medical Colleges reports that the average cost of attending a private medical school is $390,848 compared to $286,454 for in-state public medical school. 

In several letters to congressional leaders (see here and here), ASCP and a coalition of medical societies opposed the proposed student loan cuts and their impact on training the next generation of physicians in particular.  

The reduced ability to secure federal financing for college degrees may force students to seek loans from commercial lenders, which provide fewer borrower protections and are not eligible for loan forgiveness. Education experts believe that the changes contained in the OBBB will likely reduce the number of students seeking college degrees. ASCP is concerned that these changes may result in a worsening of healthcare and laboratory workforce shortages, particularly for pathologists and other physicians. We will be working with our advocacy partners to address the impacts of these policies on the pathology and laboratory medicine workforce. 

Artificial Intelligence: The OBBB also includes several provisions related to artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, the bill did not include provisions contained in the House version of the budget and tax bill preempting state laws governing the use of AI. This change is especially relevant to the medical and laboratory community as AI is increasingly being integrated in reimbursement decisions as well as diagnostic device development and clinical care.   

California, for example, restricts the use of healthcare-related AI, algorithms and similar technologies by private payers to help ensure that treatment decisions are made by healthcare providers. Given that Congress passed on including a moratorium on state AI regulation, diagnostic device manufacturers and clinical laboratories offering laboratory developed tests will need to ensure that their products and services are compliant with applicable state laws.  

ASCP is still in the process of reviewing this legislation and will be working with our advocacy partners to address outstanding concerns with the legislation. 

The Supreme Court recently issued a ruling on a case regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) preventive services mandate and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) appointments. The decision in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc. yielded mostly positive results: the ruling upheld both the constitutionality of the USPSTF’s current appointments and its preventive services mandate. But it also holds that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the authority to remove USPSTF members at will and reject their recommendations. This latter point is potentially concerning as it could affect the Task Force’s independence. In fact, on July 9 Secretary Kennedy cancelled without explanation the USPSTF’s meeting scheduled for that day. 

ASCP is speaking with partner organizations to discuss several issues with the ruling, including the potential for political influence over the USPSTF recommendation process and interference with the Task Force’s scientific process. Additionally, there is uncertainty regarding the long-term impacts of the ruling on access to preventive services and the recommendations themselves. It should be highlighted, however, that the ruling is a major victory for patient care, as it ensures patient’s continued access to recommended preventive services and affirms USPSTF’s constitutional authority to recommend preventive services that insurers must cover.  

Celiac disease is often underdiagnosed because patients exhibit minimal symptoms or are misdiagnosed because of confusion with other conditions.  

A chronic digestive and immune disorder that damages the small intestine, it is also one of the few autoimmune conditions that can be detected with a single laboratory test that is more than 95 percent sensitive and specific, according to Jane Dickerson, PhD, clinical associate professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington as well as Division Head of Laboratory Medicine, director of the Core Lab Reference Laboratory Services, and medical director of the North Clinic Laboratory at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She is also co-founder of the Patient-Centered Laboratory Utilization Guidance Services (PLUGS). 

Celiac disease affects the abdomen and may cause a feeling of bloating or nausea, and unexplained weight loss. It is caused by a diet that includes gluten, which is found in bread or pasta. Currently, there are many antibody tests available to diagnose the disease.    

ASCP is collaborating with experts from the PLUGS network to develop an education module that highlights when and which laboratory tests are best used in the diagnosis and management of celiac disease. The education offers a case-based activity designed to help medical laboratory professionals, laboratory directors, and pathologists to improve their knowledge, skills, and competence in recognizing which diagnostic tests are most appropriate to use in the diagnosis of celiac disease and to focus on evidence-based guidelines.   

“The testing algorithm for the diagnosis of celiac disease is very complex, and there are many providers who don’t know the appropriate testing strategy,” explains Sachin Gupta, PhD, MBA, MT(ASCPi)MB, Lean SSBB, scientific director of ASCP’s Center for Quality and Patient Safety.  

Dr. Dickerson specializes in celiac disease and has published several research articles on the topic. Along with colleagues Maria Christina Pacheco, MD, and Rebecca Wilson, PhD, she is a primary author of the education developed in collaboration with ASCP. Dr. Gupta and Elise Occhipinti, MD, FASCP, reviewed and contributed to the education. Dr. Occhipinti, chair of ASCP’s Quality and Patient Safety Steering Committee and an advising member in PLUGS, was the catalyst for the collaboration.   

The goal of the new education is to educate laboratory professionals and pathologists on testing algorithms to select the right test. “We explain if a patient comes with certain symptoms, what testing should be ordered by provider,” Dr. Gupta says.   

In the education module, participants are asked a series of questions, each followed by a choice of responses. The user would select a specific answer and then receive an explanation of why their answer is correct or incorrect. If it is incorrect, the program asks the user to revisit information on that particular topic in order to enhance their knowledge.  

This is the first education product with PLUGS.  

“We are very excited about our collaboration with ASCP,” Dr. Dickerson says. “The collaboration represents a strategic alignment between two organizations deeply committed to improving the quality and value of laboratory medicine. PLUGS brings expertise in laboratory stewardship, utilization management, and navigating the complexities of insurance reimbursement, with a strong emphasis on reducing inappropriate testing and financial toxicity for patients. ASCP, as a leading professional organization for pathologists and laboratory professionals, contributes its vast network, influence in clinical practice guidelines, and commitment to advancing diagnostic excellence and professional development. Together, they create a powerful platform for systemic improvement in laboratory test ordering, interpretation, and coverage.”  

PLUGS is based at Seattle Children’s Hospital and is a consortium whose members are able to access its test utilization consultation services.   

“Many laboratories lack this kind of education,” says Dr. Gupta. “I hope laboratories and pathologists will leverage this education and implement the evidence-based testing algorithm at their labs.” 

Several attendees showed interest in pursuing formal training in phlebotomy and MLT programs, and all participants certainly gained a greater appreciation for laboratory diagnostics and the professionals who make it possible. 

“I believe visibility begins with storytelling,” Ms. Slate says. “Laboratory professionals are not just running tests—we’re driving decisions that save lives. ASCP’s Day of Service gave us the platform to invite others into this meaningful field.” 

Successful completion of the program offers one continuing education credit per module for laboratory professionals.  

ASCP began studying the feasibility of a BTN role on laboratory operations and workflows in 2023. The three-phase project, supported by a sponsorship from AstraZeneca, has included a quantitative needs assessment, qualitative focus group discussions, and a short-term feasibility pilot conducted at two cancer centers. The needs assessment findings, outlined in a June 2025 article in AJCP, ASCP explores the cancer biomarker testing navigator as a novel role to improve laboratory operations and workflows: A special report from the ASCP Biomarker Testing Navigator Project Team, found that without a dedicated staff member to oversee biomarker testing, the processes were often fragmented and inefficient.  

Lynnette Pineault, MBA, SCT(ASCP), chair of the project, commented, "Our pilot study highlighted substantial gaps and bottlenecks in the consistent application of recommended biomarker testing guidelines for all cancer patients. Our team designed this program to bridge these gaps, streamline testing pathways, and enhance collaboration between the laboratory and the broader multidisciplinary care team. Our goal is to ensure every patient receives the accurate, timely biomarker testing they deserve, paving the way for more personalized treatment strategies and improved clinical outcomes. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to advancing precision oncology and reshaping the future of patient care." 

The pilot studies show that the role of BTNs could include coordination of multigene next generation sequencing panels and expediting critical steps to ensure optimal preanalytical processes, reducing delays in testing, and ensuring smooth operations, according to the article. 

In July, ASCP will release additional tools and establish an online community to support participants in the certificate program.  

“The ultimate goal of this program is to ensure that more patients will be tested with the right cancer biomarker tests and achieve better outcomes,” Dr. Kim says.  

To learn more about the BTN certificate program, click here.  

ASCP is thrilled to announce that two of the most groundbreaking scientific figures of our time, Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Craig Venter, will serve as keynote speakers at ASCP’s Annual Meeting in Atlanta, November 17-20. 

These visionary scientists have not only redefined scientific discovery, they have also fundamentally transformed the way we understand, diagnose, and treat disease, ushering in a new era of patient-centered care. 

Special General Session Scientific Keynote Speaker  

Best known for his leadership in the Human Genome Project, Dr. Collins guided one of the most ambitious scientific efforts in history to successful completion—decoding the human genetic blueprint and making it available to researchers worldwide.  

During his 12-year tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Collins oversaw the country’s biomedical response to public health crises, championed precision medicine, and led transformative initiatives in cancer, neuroscience, rare diseases, and COVID-19. 

Dr. Collins’ legacy extends beyond science. He has become a trusted voice exploring the harmony between science and spirituality. His pioneering research and his passion for public service and ethical dialogue continue to shape the future of healthcare, and of science itself. 

Don’t miss these keynote events that will energize and inspire your role in the future of patient care. 

Opening General Session Scientific Keynote Speaker  

From decoding the first free-living organism’s genome to co-leading the race to sequence the human genome, Dr. Venter’s innovative approaches have revolutionized the pace and scale of genomic science. Dr. Venter has pushed the boundaries in biology, from synthetic life forms to predictive healthcare powered by deep genomic data.  

His vision of harnessing the power of genomics to improve health and sustainability continues to inspire the next wave of scientific and clinical innovation. 

Premier educational offerings 

ASCP is recognized worldwide as the provider of premier educational offerings for pathologists and laboratory professionals to learn, share, and grow throughout the entirety of their careers. More than 1,200 education sessions developed by renowned experts will deliver the variety, convenience, and quality you need to earn credits and enhance your skills in your area of practice. 

Network with your peers 

ASCP 2025 packs a lot of learning into just a few days, yet there will be ample opportunities to relax and enjoy the company of your peers. Take this chance to meet other professionals from across the nation–and from around the world–to share ideas, collaborate, and validate or change your perspectives. 

Register before August 11 and save 50 percent on registration! Learn more and register at www.ascp.org/2025 .  

“We displayed signage outside the main laboratory and at each of our phlebotomy draw stations, featured it in newsletters, and highlighted it during conference presentations, laboratory inspections, tours, and advisory board meetings,” says Mr. Abumuhor.  

The designation also made a real difference in recruitment, especially for hard-to-fill roles like medical laboratory scientists. It gave the laboratory a competitive edge in attracting top talent and strengthened the laboratory’s case for operational and capital investments from the C-suite.  

Likewise, when laboratory leaders at Dignity Health-Glendale Memoria Health and Hospital, in Glendale, CA, embarked on the application process to gain Leading Laboratories status, they found it provided a valuable exercise in team reflection and continuous improvement, according to Ramy Moawad, MBA, CLS, director of laboratory services. 

“The process required a comprehensive self-assessment across various domains—from quality and safety to leadership and collaboration,” he says. “It prompted us to look critically at our operations and brought to light areas where we were excelling, as well as a few that needed strengthening.” 

“The Leading Laboratories designation underscored our laboratory’s role as a cornerstone of patient safety and care quality,” Mr. Moawad adds. “It has helped foster deeper collaboration with nursing, providers, and executive leadership. By aligning our work with the values recognized in the designation, we've been able to champion patient-centered initiatives, reduce diagnostic errors, and improve turnaround times—all of which directly impact the patient experience and outcomes.” 

What has been especially encouraging is that many of his peers have reached out, expressing interest in the process and enthusiasm about pursuing the designation for their own health systems.  

“The Leading Laboratories designation has set a powerful example,” Mr. Moawad adds. “We now hold ourselves to the highest standards of patient care and safety, not just for recognition, but as part of our ongoing mission.” 

He encourages other laboratories to embark on seeking Leading Laboratories status. “It is more than just a badge of honor; it serves as a strategic opportunity to reflect on your laboratory’s performance, culture, and alignment with patient care goals. The process itself drives improvement and team engagement. It helps laboratories create a roadmap to excellence and reinforces a laboratory’s value within the larger health system.” 

Learn more about Leading Laboratories at www.leadinglaboratories.org. 

The LDT Final Rule is Officially Dead: FDA Has No Jurisdiction 

On May 30, the FDA chose not to appeal a court decision that vacated its attempt to regulate laboratory developed tests (LDTs), marking a major win for patient care and ending a decades-long dispute over regulatory authority. The court affirmed that oversight of LDTs belongs to CMS under the CLIA framework, not the FDA, aligning with the position of ASCP. ASCP now plans to support CMS in its regulatory role and continue opposing legislation like the VALID Act, which could impose burdensome requirements on clinical laboratories. Read more.  

Federal Workforce Programs, Medicare Payment Impacted by Congressional Reconciliation Bill 

Congressional Republicans passed a budget reconciliation bill which extends $4.5 trillion in tax cuts while cutting $1.7 trillion in federal spending, and a potential $500 billion in Medicare cuts. While the bill includes a modest inflationary update to Medicare’s physician fee schedule and provisions from the Tomorrow’s Workforce Act to support lab training programs, it also makes significant cuts to student loan and workforce development programs. ASCP is actively lobbying against Medicare and education funding reductions and urging the Senate to mitigate their impact on healthcare professionals. Read more.  

ASCP Urges Trump Administration to Reinstate CLIAC 

ASCP is urging the Trump Administration to reinstate the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC), which was terminated following Executive Order 14217 aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy. CLIAC, a key advisory body on laboratory testing and patient care, officially shut down on March 31. ASCP and allied organizations are calling for the restoration of CLIAC and its website, emphasizing the critical value of its guidance and resources. Read more. 

ASCP Opposes Legislation to Allow Gene Patents 

ASCP, alongside more than 20 medical and patient advocacy groups, is opposing the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act, which would allow companies to patent human genes and other natural phenomena. ASCP argues that such patents could hinder clinical care, research, and patient access to vital genetic information. ASCP was a key plaintiff in the 2013 landmark case where the Supreme Court ruled that genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 are not patentable, and which upheld that naturally occurring genes are not eligible for patents under the Patent Act. Read more.  

Patients and Pathology Win Latest Battle 

May 30th marked an important date in FDA’s effort to claim oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs). This was the deadline for FDA to appeal U.S. District Court Judge Sean D. Jordan’s decision to vacate the agency’s Final Rule seeking to regulate LDTs (see the infographic below outlining some of the key dates related to LDT oversight). And by the end of that day, we learned that the federal government declined to appeal the judge’s decision. This victory for patient care marks the latest milestone in a 40-year saga regarding government responsibility to regulate LDTs. 

FDA began asserting jurisdiction over LDTs in the early 1990s and started seriously considering taking regulatory action in the early 2000s. ASCP recognized that these were significant developments and began implementing patient-centric policy and advocacy initiatives to ensure that high-quality patient care considerations were at the forefront of the debate. These efforts have been a defining element of our advocacy agenda for well over a decade, and they were the reasons that ASCP, guided by the expertise of noted attorney Jane Pine Wood, joined with four other patient-focused medical specialty societies to file an amicus curiae brief in the lawsuit opposing FDA’s oversight scheme. 

ASCP is extremely pleased that Judge Jordon’s ruling means that FDA lacks the statutory authority to regulate LDTs. ASCP President Gregory Sossaman, MD, MASCP, said after Jordon announced his decision, “This is an important victory for quality patient care.” Under FDA’s oversight plan, most laboratories would have faced significant barriers to providing these critical services, ultimately restricting patient access to vital testing and care.  

Not surprisingly, the court victory raises a question about LDT oversight moving forward. ASCP and the vast majority of organizations representing the laboratory community believe that LDTs should be regulated by CMS under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) framework. The district court addressed this question, stating that “Congress considered the unique regulatory issues raised by clinical laboratories and the tests they develop and perform. It addressed those issues through the comprehensive but distinct statutory regime of CLIA, not through the FDCA [Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act].” Meaning that the authority to regulate LDTs belongs to CMS, not FDA. 

When CMS adopted new regulations for CLIA in early 2003, it set in place new performance requirements a laboratory must satisfy when it “introduces a test system not subject to FDA clearance or approval (including “methods developed in-house…[emphasis added]).” These requirements are still in place, and they serve as the foundation for CLIA’s analytical validity requirement, among others, and can  encompass any other “performance characteristic required for test performance.” 

With the court’s ruling about who has authority over LDTs settled, ASCP will be working with its advocacy partners to lend expertise to CMS in its oversight of LDTs. We will also continue our efforts to prevent any legislation similar to the VALID Act from stymieing clinical laboratories to meet the needs of their patients. 

ASCP is lobbying the Trump Administration to reverse its decision to shutter the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC). ASCP is joining the Association for Public Health Laboratories and other concerned pathology and laboratory medicine organizations in urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to reverse the decision to close CLIAC. 

The decision to terminate CLIAC came in response to President Trump’s Executive Order 14217, “Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” which was released in late February. The executive order ordered the termination of “unnecessary” federal advisory committees that are not mandated by statute.  

ASCP had heard in late March that CLIAC may have been terminated but was unable to confirm the news. CDC only recently confirmed that CLIAC was terminated on March 31. CLIAC has been the principle federal entity advising the federal government on public policy, safety, and workforce issues related to anatomic pathology and clinical laboratory testing. Its relevance to quality patient care and laboratory testing cannot be overstated. 

Current and past members of CLIAC were unaware that the advisory committee had been shut down, though some were aware of rumors that it had been eliminated. In fact, some were under the impression that while the April Meeting of CLIAC had been canceled by the Trump Administration, a November meeting was expected. 

In addition, the CLIAC website is no longer functional, and records of past meetings, minutes, and presentations as well as CLIAC’s past recommendations and reports are no longer available. ASCP believes these valuable resources should be restored.