Many Lab Techs Refuse to Draw Blood of Monkeypox Patients, Reports CNNThursday August 4, 2022(Source:Getty Images)On Tuesday it was reported there are 6,326 reported cases of monkeypox, an 81% increase from a week before, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Many technicians at Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics, two of the largest commercial labs in the US, have been refusing to draw blood from patients who might have monkeypox," CNN reports. CNN adds that whatever the reason, infectious disease experts treating monkeypox patients say that the refusals are based on stigma and slow efforts to identify and isolate patients. Diane Crawford, CEO of the National Phlebotomy Association, said she is "disappointed" that labs are allowing phlebotomists to refuse to draw blood from suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients. "Harvey said doctors at sexual health clinics have had to find workarounds when phlebotomists have refused to take blood from suspected monkeypox patients.

Source: CNN August 04, 2022 10:03 UTC