In the summer of 2006 COLA convened its first world lab forum. Our goal was to create a global community of thought leaders who hold a shared vision for improving access and quality of medical laboratory testing worldwide. This global vision will draw upon the strengths of several successful quality improvement models in Europe, Asia and the USA while recognizing the unique needs of countries or regions with less developed efforts.

The urgent needs of the world, including public health crises, are the call to action for this gathering because ultimately improving patient care is our goal. Medical laboratory diagnostics are critical to the diagnosis and proper treatment of disease or illness such as HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis. Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS requires access to reliable, affordable diagnostics. In addition, laboratory diagnostics are on the frontline in the response to avian flu and other outbreaks as well as responding to the threat of bioterrorism. Equally important, high quality diagnostics are a vital component of effective delivery of primary medical care in developing nations.

We believe that now is the time for collective action to ensure that all people have the same chance for quality healthcare. By bringing together a diverse group of thought leaders to consider the role of laboratory medicine in response to public health needs, crises and in the delivery of effective primary care, we can bring forth new ideas and enhanced commitment to shared action.