Advocacy - Lab Advocate
In late September, AACC and its partners notched a legislative victory when Congress passed a budget resolution to keep the government open without -the Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act in the final package. If included, VALID would have extended Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight to laboratory developed tests (LDTs).
AACC has opposed VALID since its introduction. The association is concerned that FDA oversight, on top of the Clinical Laboratory Amendments (CLIA) regulations managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), would limit the ability of hospitals and community laboratories to provide vital testing to patients.
AACC and its allies must remain vigilant in opposing this legislation. Supporters of VALID are working to include the bill in the year-end spending package. The association urges its members to utilize its grassroots network and let their representatives know of their concerns about this measure.