The newly relaunched LabsAreVital program made its debut at the 2013 AACC Annual Meeting and Expo in July, showcasing a new website with posts on current laboratory topics by world-renowned experts and an online toolkit of resources for instructors and students.
"The AACC is the perfect opportunity for us to explain how laboratory professionals, publishers, and industry sponsors can get involved," said Graham Beastall, PhD, a long-time LabsAreVital supporter and president of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.
Originally founded by Abbott in 2006, ownership of LabsAreVital recently passed to the laboratory community, with an international consortium of laboratory organizations taking the lead. The American Society for Clinical Pathology, IFCC, and World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine now run the program with some continued financial support from Abbott. The consortium is also seeking additional sponsors to help further their goals.
"Too many lab professionals feel that their profession is undervalued, underappreciated, and underfunded. We want to make LabsAreVital a powerful voice to emphasize that laboratory medicine is part of the multidisciplinary team at the heart of patient care," Beastall said.
In addition to its website, www.labsarevital.com, the program, which is open to anyone, will emphasize shared communities, work culture, and career choices for laboratory professionals.