Experts meet to address need to improve hormone tests

The members of the Partnership for the Accurate Testing of Hormones met to develop strategies to standardize hormone tests and raise awareness among physicians of the poor quality and incommutability of the tests they order, according to a press release from the Endocrine Society.

PATH seeks to improve patient care and public health through the universal use of accurate and reliable hormone tests in health care and research. The organization’s 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,” 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, said in a press release. “Whether it’s testosterone, estradiol or vitamin D, unreliable hormone tests are a threat to patients whose medical care depends upon accurate measurement.”

The meeting brought together experts from the Endocrine Society and CDC and outlined goals for standardization of hormone tests and reference ranges in clinical care and diagnosis, as well as better communication regarding 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,” Matsumoto said in a statement. “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.”