In response to declining funding for tuberculosis (TB) laboratory services, APHL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) commissioned a taskforce to develop recommendations to assure continued availability of high-quality, cost-effective TB laboratory services. Comprised of representatives from APHL, CDC, clinical laboratories and the National TB Controllers Association, the task force designated three benchmarks for laboratories that conduct TB testing:
• Assessment of available TB laboratory services to determine the capabilities and capacities of jurisdictional laboratory networks
• Assessment of the true costs of TB laboratory services to justify a base level of required funding necessary to maintain and improve these services
• Development of jurisdictional strategic plans to implement and maintain a systems approach to TB control.
APHL produced a report based on taskforce recommendations, The Future of TB Laboratory Services. The association continues to address these recommendations. Currently it is revising an assessment tool for laboratories to evaluate the scope and capability of their TB testing operations. The first benchmark of the TB reports cites the need for a standardized assessment tool.
The future of TB laboratory services has acquired new urgency. The rising incidence of the disease, increasing prevalence of drug-susceptible strains and global travel have combined to pose new obstacles to TB treatment, prevention and control. Laboratory infrastructure will be critical to resolving this dilemma.