Advocacy News

• CAP calls for stronger health care cybersecurity standards
• CAP President Karcher addresses federal policy impacts in April email
• Make your voice heard in Washington, register for HOD/PLS summit
• Podcast: How PathPAC amplifies pathology's voice in Washington
• Calling all HOD Members: Support the "Back the PAC" competition
• WV genetic privacy bill draws concern, fails to advance
• CDC warns of rising measles cases

The CAP is raising concerns about the health care sector's vulnerability to cyberattacks, emphasizing the need for robust federal data privacy and security standards.

Recent developments: House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Vice Chair John Joyce, MD, (R-PA) created a data privacy working group in February to explore federal data privacy and security framework parameters.

• The congressional working group asked stakeholders for suggestions as it considers legislation related to data privacy and security.

What CAP advocates: The CAP submitted its comments on April 7, calling for federal leadership to craft data privacy laws that account for different roles within the health care ecosystem.

• The big challenge in the aftermath of a cybersecurity incident is coordinating stakeholders across an entire health care system and ensuring patient safety and access to care. This necessitates federal leadership, guidance, and financial support.  
• The intended outcome of any cybersecurity measure must be protection of patient care and patient data.
• Any federal privacy law should not supersede, duplicate, or contradict the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the health care sector.

The bottom line: The CAP affirms that cybersecurity measures must offer greater protection and coordination across a vast health care system. 

Amid recent federal policy changes, CAP President Donald Karcher, MD, FCAP, reached out to members on April 10 with an email addressing the impacts on pathologists and laboratories and emphasized the CAP's advocacy efforts.

Why it matters: These actions may significantly affect patient care and the pathology profession for years to come.

• Layoffs at health-related agencies and the cap on National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants create uncertainty.
• Proposed budget cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid could impact access to care.

The CAP is actively engaged with Congress and the Administration to voice concerns and seek the best outcomes for pathologists and patients.

Go deeper: Reducing federal spending on biomedical research may hinder lifesaving advances. Read more in this letter to NIH.  

What's next: The CAP encourages members to share stories (via an email to stories@cap.org) about the impacts of these changes to aid advocacy efforts.

• Members also can contact Dr. Karcher (president@cap.org) or any member of the Board of Governors with additional insights. 

Let Congress know where you stand on important policies impacting pathologists and your patients. Join your colleagues April 26–29 at the CAP House of Delegates & Pathologists Leadership Summit 2025.

Advocate for your profession, drive change on Capitol Hill, and ensure your voice is heard on what matters most—our specialty and our patients.

Register today!

Registered already? Download our social media toolkit! 

A new podcast explains how PathPAC advances the advocacy agenda of the CAP by representing the interests of pathologists at the federal level.

Why it matters: PathPAC helps strengthen the CAP's efforts to influence key legislative decisions affecting pathology.

• PathPAC funds are used to support political candidates who advocate for policies that benefit the pathology community and their patients.

Listen: E. Randy Eckert, MD, FCAP, Chair of the CAP's Political Action Committee, tells how members can get involved in PathPAC.

The bottom line: PathPAC gives pathologists a voice in shaping health care policies that affect our profession and patient care.

Listen Now

There's still time to support the fourth annual Back the PAC competition!

Why it matters: Back the PAC is a fun and friendly effort to strengthen House of Delegates (HOD) support for PathPAC while educating delegates on its critical role in advancing the CAP's advocacy agenda and representing pathologists at the federal level.

Competition details:

• The HOD is divided into five regional teams with equal numbers of members based on the HOD roster as of March 1.
• Winning teams will be determined by the highest overall team participation rate and most PathPAC funds raised.
• The competition ends on Sunday, April 27, when the House of Delegates adjourns that day. The winners will be announced on Monday morning, April 28.

Recognition: Everyone who donates to PathPAC, regardless of being on an HOD team, will receive an invitation to a recognition reception on Monday, April 28. Your participation strengthens the CAP’s ability to advocate on behalf of pathologists.

Learn more: Explore PathPAC to understand its impact and significance. 

An adverse genetic privacy bill did not receive committee consideration, following advocacy from the West Virginia Association of Pathologists (WVAP) and the CAP.  

Why it matters: Protecting pathologists and clinical laboratories from stringent legal requirements is crucial to ensuring uninterrupted patient care and medical practice.  

• The bill's failure preserves the ability of pathologists to conduct routine genetic analysis without undue legal challenges.  

What happened: On March 20, WVAP, with support from the CAP, voiced strong concerns about the bill's unintended impact on health care, particularly regarding HIPAA exemptions.  

• The WVAP submitted comments saying, "The proposed exemption... does not fully exempt covered entities and business associates under [HIPAA] and related health information from the stringent requirements of the bill. Pathologists who routinely collect, utilize, and disclose genetic data may be at legal risk without additional informed consent from the patient."  

What's next: The CAP and WVAP remain committed to advocating for robust legislation that fortifies HIPAA exemptions and protects pathologists' essential work. 

As measles cases increase and another death from the disease was reported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging health care providers to remain vigilant.

Why it matters: The CDC wants all physicians and health professionals to be on the lookout for the highly contagious disease as it spreads.

• As of April 4, there were 607 confirmed measles cases across 22 US jurisdictions, with the largest outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, accounting for over 90% of reported cases.

Testing: Laboratory confirmation should be pursued for all patients with suspected measles. Collect an NP swab or OP swab for RT-PCR testing and a blood specimen for serology testing. Collecting a urine specimen along with an NP/OP swab may improve sensitivity.

Go deeper: Read the CDC's Health Alert Network advisory issued on March 7 for more detailed information and guidance for the upcoming travel season.