The members of the Partnership for the Accurate Testing of Hormones (PATH) met today at the offices of the Endocrine Society to develop strategies to standardize hormone tests and raise awareness among physicians of the poor quality and incommutability of the tests they order.
PATH seeks to improve patient care and public health through universal use of accurate and reliable hormone tests in healthcare and research. Their ultimate goal is to advance the development of standardized hormone assays and advocate for the universal adoption of these assays in medical practice and research.
“Inaccurate tests can lead to misdiagnoses and this is happening every day on a global scale,” said Alvin M. Matsumoto, MD, FACP, Associate Director of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington, and co-chair of PATH. “Whether it’s testosterone, estradiol, or vitamin D, unreliable hormone tests are a threat to patients whose medical care depends upon accurate measurement.”
Today’s meeting brought together the partnership’s many members, including the Endocrine Society and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to crystallize goals and tactics to not only standardize hormone tests and harmonize reference ranges in clinical care and diagnosis, but to communicate the importance of standardized tests to public health to physicians, policymakers, and the public.
“We know there are cases where individuals might be deemed deficient or sufficient in a certain hormone like vitamin D depending on the laboratory where the blood is tested,” said Matsumoto. “These problems are caused mainly by inaccurate and unreliable tests. Standardized hormone tests are essential and we are working to educate physicians about this issue and encourage policymakers to ensure universal use of standardized tests.”
About Endocrine Society
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.
The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses, and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
Colleen Williams Senior Communications Manager, Public Relations Phone: (202)-971-3611 [email protected]
Jenni Glenn Gingery Director, Communications and Media Relations Phone: (202)-971-3655 [email protected]