Labs continue to lack the resources necessary to meet the demands for timely COVID-19 testing. In July, industry groups called on the White House to take control and resolve, or at least allay the reagent shortages and supply chain bottlenecks that have dogged testing efforts since the crisis began (See NIR, July 20, 2020). But now that seems to be off the table with labs being told not to expect any relief on the supplies front for at least the remainder of the year. So, the industry is moving to Plan B: figuring out how to prioritize the testing resources it does have available until the supplies challenges are resolved. And they’re once more asking the Administration for help. Labs to HHS: Help Us Prioritize Testing Services On Aug. 11, seven healthcare organizations sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking the agency to update COVID-19 testing prioritization guidelines. “We are increasingly concerned about the serious strains being placed on testing services for COVID-19, the impact those strains have on our ability to provide timely medical care to our patients, and ultimately on our ability to contain the spread of this dangerous virus,” the…
