Joint statement on the future of medical labs: over twenty partners declare their support for public, high-quality, accessible, and locally available services

May 21, 2024

Longueuil  – Today, the APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) is publishing a Joint statement on the future of medical laboratories that is endorsed by over twenty representatives of physicians’ and medical specialists’ associations and federations, unions representing people employed in the health and social services system, groups of service users, and teachers responsible for biomedical laboratory technology training programs.

“Providing high-quality lab services that are public, accessible, and locally available is a vital task for the health and social services system,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “Most of our partners, and most of the actors involved in the system, agree on this point. We’ve reached a strong consensus, and we’re asking the government to consider our joint statement and put the suggested solutions in place to guarantee the future of our public labs.”

The joint statement is the product of exchanges between partners from many different horizons who met on May 6 at a focus day on the future of public medical labs. The statement presents major conclusions regarding the challenges faced by labs and identifies nine orientations that should be taken to make sure the labs remain functional over the long term.

The APTS urges the health and social services ministry to give full consideration to courses of action suggested in the joint statement in view of a meeting to be held on June 17. At this meeting – which will be attended by health and social services partners, including a number of signatories of the statement – the conclusions of consultations held over a year ago (April 28, 2023) will be presented.

“The challenges faced by labs have been known for a long time,” said APTS vice-president Sandra Etienne. “What we need is a comprehensive approach to address them. That would include reasserting the value of CEGEP training programs, improving conditions of work and practice, putting an end to full-speed centralization and, especially, listening to the deeply committed people who spend their days working in this crucial sector. We need to give them the recognition they deserve.”

The APTS

The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents more than 65,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for all Quebecers, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.