Pathology is the cornerstone of modern medicine, ensuring that patients are correctly diagnosed and given an appropriate treatment. However, a new Series in The Lancet highlights how common presumptive treatment or treatment without a confirmed diagnosis, is likely to be in many low- and middle-income countries as a result of a serious shortage of pathologists, laboratory services and basic medical tests. .

REGULATORY ACTION

Warning to duodenoscope makers

The US FDA has sent warning letters to three duodenoscope manufacturers for failing to comply with requirements of the law under which they were ordered to conduct post-market surveillance studies to assess the effectiveness of reprocessing the devices. As part of an effort to prevent patient infections associated with the transmission of bacteria from contaminated duodenoscopes, the FDA had in 2015 ordered Olympus, Fujifilm and Pentax to conduct a study to determine whether healthcare facilities were able to clean and disinfect the devices. Olympus has failed to commence data collection, and Pentax and Fujifilm have failed to provide sufficient data, the regulator said.

professional hazard

Seven-year Syrian tragedy

After seven years of conflict in Syria, the WHO has renewed its call for the protection of health workers and for access to besieged populations. Attacks on the health sector have continued at an alarming level in the past year. The 67 verified attacks on health facilities, workers, and infrastructure recorded in the first two months of 2018 amount to more than 50 per cent of verified attacks in all of 2017. “This health tragedy must come to an end,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

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