The Nation - News from July 7, 1988

The Department of Health and Human Services later this summer will propose new federal standards for laboratories that do medical tests, an HHS official said. Dr. William Roper, head of the department’s Health Care Financing Administration, told the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee that the regulations will address proficiency testing, worker qualifications and quality assurance. Witnesses at congressional hearings this year have pinpointed Pap smears, the test for cervical cancer, as a key area of concern. They cited overworked, unqualified personnel and inaccurate results that can have fatal consequences. Roper said the new Pap smear regulations may limit workloads, mandate what qualifications are needed by those screening the tests, and contain supervisory requirements.