Media Releases

In a new position statement released today, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) advises that serology testing has limited use in the diagnosis of COVID-19. If serology testing must be performed, the RCPA recommends that only laboratory-based assays are used due to their higher sensitivity and specificity and the current lack of a clinical or public health need for rapid point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 serology testing.

Due to a low uptake of influenza vaccines in 2021, and the very low circulation of influenza virus globally over the past two years, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) warns that Australians are more likely to be vulnerable to influenza this year. Despite vaccination fatigue, the RCPA recommends anyone aged six months and over to get the influenza vaccine in order to prevent widespread illness and even deaths from influenza. Those who have not received their COVID-19 vaccine or are eligible for a booster or “winter dose” are encouraged to get both vaccines at the same time.

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) supports the move to add Braftovi, a targeted therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) this year, improving health outcomes for potentially thousands of patients in Australia.

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) strongly recommends that PCR tests are now only available for: patients who are unwell; or, those who have been advised to do so by the Health Department.

At the present time, most laboratories have exceeded their testing capacity. This has happened for three reasons: the increased volume of testing; a change in how laboratories can now test due to a higher number of positive PCR results; and staff shortages.

This month, three new items will be added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) following several applications by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) to the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). The items include genetic testing for certain blood cell cancers and for pregnancies with major fetal structural abnormalities, and diagnostic testing for neuromyelitis (NMO). It is expected that these additions will improve access to life changing pathology services for approximately 22-23,000 patients per year.