Pathology labs to be regulated

Operators of pathology laboratories must include at least one registered medical practitioner under the long-awaited Pathology Bill.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said this would ensure that ownership of these laboratories was regulated.
“Pathology laboratories must have a registered medical practitioner as a sole proprietor or a shareholder.
“To carry out the examinations is very easy but what is important is the interpretation of the results,” he said here yesterday.
Dr Chua said results of blood tests might not be a true reflection of a patient's condition.
“For example, many people go for cancer marker tests. The results may be normal but that does not mean you are normal,” he said.
The Star reported on Monday that the 250 private medical laboratories in the country were being run without any proper regulation or certification by the Health Ministry.
In lauding the move to table the Bill, which will allow the ministry to regulate the laboratories, Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin said the association had been fighting for 15 years for the legislation to be implemented.
Currently, Dr Chua said, the laboratories were only registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and consumers could go to any medical laboratories for blood tests without referrals from doctors.
“Pathology laboratories are a very specialised business. How can they not be regulated?” he said.
According to him, the Bill, involving 13 legal aspects, was in the final drafting stages and would be tabled in the Cabinet and debated in Parliament next year.
He said the ministry would also consider whether the laboratories had the needed expertise, skills and facilities before issuing an approval.
“At the same time, we will also monitor the charges imposed by these laboratories and their use of equipment to ensure that they meet the required standards,” he said.
The Bill – which will include penalties for those who do not meet the requirements proposed by the ministry – would also require laboratories to renew their licences every three years, he added.
On the confusion over the gender of newborn Nur Nabilah Ahmad at Sungai Petani Hospital, Dr Chua admitted that there were weaknesses in the hospital's administration.
“Those involved in identifying the gender of the baby should have done it immediately, but (they) delayed it for two days,” he said.
On reports about fraudulent Socso claims, Dr Chua said doctors found to be involved in cheating would be referred to the Malaysian Medical Council.
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