Current Standards for Flu Pandemic Preparedness

Unless otherwise noted, P.A.C.E.™ accreditation will expire six months after the live webinar.

The Importance of Using Reliable Tests

The flu pandemic of 1918 killed more people around the world than WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined. While subsequent flu seasons haven’t been as catastrophic, they have presented continued challenges.

The 2017/2018 flu season featured a record number of illnesses even though it was caused by a less virulent flu strain than previous years. The increased incidence of the flu led to a greater demand for and subsequent shortage of rapid influenza tests in some clinics. This was compounded by the fact that many manufacturers recalled methods that didn’t meet the FDA reclassification criteria implemented in early 2018.

In this P.A.C.E.-accredited webinar sponsored by the Fisher Healthcare brand and Sekisui Diagnostics, Sally Hojvat, PhD, will discuss the effects of the FDA’s ruling. She will also discuss how our understanding of the flu has advanced over the past 100 years, and how we’ve been able to improve vaccination strategies, testing technology, diagnosis, surveillance, and our preparedness for future pandemics.

Learning Objectives

This webinar will help you:

• Discuss the importance of reliable, high-performance diagnostic tests, especially for higher-risk patients
• Describe how the FDA monitors compliance with the recently updated standards
• Explain how one can tell whether a test meets FDA-required sensitivity and specificity
• Identify the most suitable tests for different testing scenarios
• Review the pros and cons of molecular and serological tests, plus manual and automated platforms

Watch On Demand        Download Slides (PDF, 631KB)

This webinar is produced by Whitehat Communications, a provider of continuing education programs in clinical laboratory sciences that has been approved by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. Program. One P.A.C.E. credit hour will be provided for this complimentary, basic-level program.

Sally Hojvat, PhD

Dr. Hojvat received a PhD in biochemistry from Loyola University and completed her post-doctoral work in clinical chemistry and pharmacology before spending nearly two decades in the Diagnostic Division of Abbott Laboratories. She worked with the FDA for 12 years as the Director of the Microbiology Devices Division in the Office of In-Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, and currently consults for the World Health Organization (WHO) and other non-profit and commercial IVD companies.