BD and the College of American Pathologists Announce Strategic Alliance to Support Laboratory Quality and Performance in India and China

NORTHFIELD, Ill. and FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, and the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the world leader in laboratory quality assurance and improvement, today announced the launch of a new strategic alliance that will provide solutions to advance laboratory quality for improved patient outcomes in China and India. BD and CAP announced the collaboration during the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas.

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Laboratories play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of disease for the more than 2.5 billion people who live in China and India. The BD/CAP Strategic Alliance will improve access to external quality assurance/proficiency testing (PT) that can have a direct and positive impact on laboratory quality, and therefore, patient outcomes. Together BD and CAP will provide education to improve awareness of global practice standards and training that will help laboratories achieve their quality improvement goals. Additionally, BD will manage PT distribution, including sales, shipping, and first-line client service.

"As emerging markets around the world heighten their focus on healthcare, patients and healthcare professionals wish to achieve higher quality across the entire spectrum of care. The clinical laboratory and pathology contribute more than 70 percent of the information used to determine diagnoses and drive treatment decisions," said CAP President Stanley J. Robboy, MD, FCAP. "CAP has all of the tools necessary to help laboratories improve and monitor efforts that drive quality performance. This strategic alliance with BD will increase access to these essential resources, helping laboratories accelerate their quality improvement journey so that they can contribute to better quality care, differentiate themselves and their institutions, and be recognized globally among the best providers of laboratory and pathology services."

CAP's Laboratory Accreditation, Surveys, PT programs, and other quality management resources combined with BD's in-depth clinical knowledge of preanalytical systems provide a comprehensive, expert-based toolkit to help laboratories in China and India continuously improve the quality of the testing services they provide to patients. Through participation in CAP accreditation, laboratories in China and India can demonstrate their compliance to the most robust and comprehensive clinical laboratory testing standards in the world. 

"This historic initiative brings together two of the leading global organizations that are ideally positioned to support laboratory improvement efforts around the world, particularly in China and India," said John Ledek, President, BD Diagnostics – Preanalytical Systems. "BD offers extensive reach across the continuum of healthcare and laboratory testing operations, with a deep understanding of quality processes from both a technical and clinical perspective. CAP is the recognized leader in establishing pathology and laboratory standards and practices and developing tools to guide and monitor lab progress on improving quality. From preanalytical specimen collection through post-analytical result reporting and interpretation, together, CAP and BD can provide more integrated laboratory quality improvement solutions that begin and end with the patient."

Having operated in China since 1994 and in India since 1996 supporting public and private sector partners in enhancing laboratory standards, BD has extensive experience in deploying clinical expertise and educational resources in these regions, as well as a deep understanding of the unique needs of laboratories throughout these countries. Today in China, there are 18 CAP accredited laboratories and nearly 100 laboratories participating in PT. In India, of the 71 laboratories participating in CAP PT, 42 have achieved CAP-accreditation. BD's access and logistics experience will support CAP PT importation and ensure more timely delivery and quality, reduce participants' administrative work, and allow billing in local currency. Market launch of this initiative will begin in China and India in August 2013 with PT distribution initiated in January 2014.

About BD
BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 30,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

About the College of American Pathologists
As the leading organization for board-certified pathologists, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. With more than 18,000 physician members, the CAP has led laboratory accreditation for more than 50 years with nearly 7,500 CAP-accredited laboratories in 50 countries. Find more information about the CAP at cap.org. Follow CAP on Twitter at @pathologists.

SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company); College of American Pathologists