What's in store for laboratory medicine in 2012?

The NACBLOG Editorial Board extends a sincere thanks to all of you who have written for, commented on, recommended, and read the NACBLOG posts (now called AACC Scientific Shorts) of this past year. In its first year the NACBLOG had more than 50,000 hits and readers included scientists from around the world. Our weekly discussions touched on practical issues such as vitamin D testing and glycemic control, called attention to regulatory issues such as RUO/IOU, presented thought provoking views on clinical laboratory testing, and challenged readers with monthly case studies. Blogs on the Jurassic Lab and Hemoglobin A1c generated the most comments but we discovered that generally, the longer a post was up, the more “recommends” it got. We assume this is the result of new readers going back to previous entries.

A few changes are in store for 2012. The NACBLOG will remain open to all but after the first of the year you’ll be asked to login, which means your name and affiliation will automatically be added to any comments you submit. I’m happy to announce that three Fellows—Bill Winter, Roger Bertholf, and Doug Stickle--will be regular contributors to the blog next year. In closing, as we wait to bring in the New Year, I invite you to reflect on the issues and changes that 2012 may usher in. What do you think 2012 has in store for the laboratory profession?