Transcription

• NJ

  World lab leaders gather in Dubai. And could the measles outbreak be America's next pandemic? Those stories and more coming up next. This is Path News Network Daily Edition from the College of American Pathologists. I'm Nancy Johnson. It's Monday, February 9th. A global gathering of laboratory and diagnostic leaders begins tomorrow. WHX Labs Dubai 2026 is happening at the Dubai World Trade Center. The CAP will have a presence on site showcasing its work in laboratory accreditation, proficiency testing, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in pathology. CAP President Dr. Chi-Wei Jim Zhai will speak on career transformations in pathology and and how laboratories can lead in an era beyond AI. The meeting is part of the broader World Health Expo. Public health experts are warning that measles, once eliminated in the United States, could be the next pandemic-scale threat with a growing outbreak in South Carolina. The CAP's Dr. Bobby Pritt chairs medical microbiology at Mayo Clinic.

• Dr. Bobbi Pritt

  I hope that measles is not the big pandemic. to hit the U.S., but it is certainly concerning that our numbers have gone up so significantly last year, and now this year we've already surpassed. The trends are already going up with a greater increase.

• NJ

  A BBC story shows that in Spartanburg County, northwestern South Carolina, one pediatrician has treated six measles patients in just two months. Nearly 850 measles cases have now been reported across South Carolina, mostly among unvaccinated children.

• Dr. Bobbi Pritt

  If we see a lot of people that start getting measles, then that would put a tremendous strain on health care systems, especially because not a lot of laboratories perform measles testing right now.

• NJ

  Public health experts warn that without higher vaccination rates, measles could again spread widely across the U.S. Dr. Pritt describes how this could potentially mirror the COVID crisis.

• Dr. Bobbi Pritt

  And you really want to do a measles PCR for acute disease. So we'd be in the same situation as we were with SARS coronavirus, especially because the measles PCR, there is no FDA approved tests. So there would be laboratory developed tests and then perhaps there'd be an emergency declared and we'd be looking at emergency use authorization for new tests. and it it would be back into that same type of challenging situation.

• NJ

  Health officials say what happens next in places like Spartanburg may determine whether outbreaks remain local or become something much larger. Electronic health records routinely flag lab values just outside reference ranges as abnormal. They often use red highlights that clinicians say can unnecessarily alarm patients. Doctors note that clinically insignificant deviations, such as a hemoglobin level of 11.9 instead of 12.0, can trigger patient anxiety, portal messages, and follow-up visits driven more by design than medical need. Experts argue the problem lies in binary EHR interfaces that fail to distinguish between borderline, abnormal, and critical results. They're calling for redesigned lab displays that provide context, trends, and plain language explanations to better reflect how medicine is actually practiced. And finally, the CAP Foundation has launched a new online store. turning everyday purchases into support for patients and the future of pathology. Every item sold helps fund programs, support early career pathologists, and expand care around the world. The foundation describes the store as more than a place to shop, calling it an investment in the pathology community. They say each purchase tells a story of care in action, with proceeds directly supporting the Foundation's mission. That's all for today. Be sure to check the show notes for more information on today's stories. Watch your email inbox for more news like this in the CAP's advocacy newsletter every Tuesday and our weekly edition newsletter on Thursdays. We're back tomorrow at 5 a.m. Eastern for another episode of The Daily Edition. I'm Nancy Johnson. Have a great day.