According to Abbott, relative to the United Kingdom; there is an excess (perhaps over abundance) of fetal lung maturity testing in United States; especially in terms of the soon to be discontinued Abbott TDX FLM Surfactant to Albumin ratio. As they are the only vendor for this assay, they make their claim based on sales data inferring that fetal lung maturity testing is  minimally performed in the UK.

Can you kind folks and colleagues, please help me to confirm/deny that statement as well as tell me what the laboratory’s involvement is with FLM testing in the UK and lastly let me know if this process is driven by an NHS guidance that I can pass on to interested providers on this side of the pond.

Thanks

Dave Alter MD

David Alter, MD

Clinical/ Chemical Pathologist

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Spectrum Health - Blodgett

1840 Wealthy ST SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49506

616 774 5123

FX 616 774 5280

"Fast is fine but accuracy is everything" Wyatt Earp

"Fast is fine but ACCURACY, PRECISION and LINEARITY is everything" Any Laboratorian

“…non tissue laboratory results represent 70 – 80% of the objective data in clinical records and that data contributes 60 – 70% to the critical decisions made in patient care representing only 5% of a health system’s cost, but favorably influencing the remaining 95% of cost…” Becich M, Dysert P and Forsman R.

"Test results alone don't impact patient care; inappropriate utilization and interpretation can as there are no bad laboratory tests; only outdated and inappropriately utilized ones " DA