Federal health officials are launching a task force to encourage the development and deployment of diagnostic tests during public health emergencies.
The FDA, CDC and CMS want to speed access to diagnostic tools during public health emergencies, such as an infectious disease outbreak.
The FDA will authorize emergency use of tests, the CDC will provide lab and epidemiology expertise, and CMS will ensure that labs produce accurate and timely results.
Before an emergency, the task force will identify gaps in protocols by reviewing recent emergency response experiences and current practices.
The task force will meet twice yearly.