Report of the Fourth Consensus Conference on HIV Testing sponsored by the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors (ASTPHLD).

Abstract

In a continuation of the efforts begun in 1985 to promote quality and uniformity in laboratory programs for retrovirus testing, the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors (ASTPHLD) held the Fourth Consensus Conference on Testing for Human Retroviruses March 7-9, 1989, in Kansas City. The impact of these conferences on retrovirus testing both nationally and internationally continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of states, countries and governmental agencies represented. Forty-six states were represented this year plus the National HIV Reference Laboratory of Australia, the Canadian Health and Welfare Department, the Quebec Public Health Laboratory, the World Health Organization, the American Red Cross, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The 199 conference attendees were from industry, clinical laboratories, blood centers, regulatory agencies, educational institutions and state and local public health laboratories. The success of these conferences is due to the many contributions of a very diverse group of participants. Because all the players are represented and participate actively in the consensus process, the recommendations formulated at these conferences serve the