CDC denies approval for high-volume measles test, citing ‘other priorities’

West Coast health officials have urged the CDC to reconsider its decision to reject a faster, high-volume measles testing method, despite earlier requests for validation. The CDC denied the proposal in May, citing competing priorities, leaving officials from California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii concerned about outbreak preparedness. The letter calls for validation of the new test and broader protocols for testing other high-priority diseases to strengthen future response efforts. The delay raises questions about how the agency balances emerging health technologies against immediate public health needs.

California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii health officials ask CDC ‘prioritizing emerging technologies’ to reconsiderCalifornia and Washington asked the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May to validate a new way to test for measles – but after waiting two months, the CDC denied the request, citing “other competing priorities”, according to a letter from the West Coast Health Alliance to the CDC director, Erica Schwartz.The letter, signed by health officials in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, asks Schwartz to reconsider and validate a rapid, high-volume measles test in preparation for major outbreaks. The alliance also asked the CDC to create protocols to test for other high-priority pathogens to prepare for future outbreaks. Continue reading...