Protecting the Public’s Health, One Test at a Time

Public health laboratory professionals work tirelessly to protect the nation’s health every day (and yes, we mean holidays and weekends, too, because disease surveillance is a 24/7 job).

In the last few years alone, they’ve been on the frontlines when it comes to detecting, monitoring and responding to public health threats ranging from anthrax to avian flu, mpox to MRSA, SARS-CoV-2 to syphilis outbreaks and everything in between.

They process, analyze and interpret the newborn screening panels collected each year on the nation’s four million babies. They perform testing to determine if a community’s drinking water is safe, if a chemical spill poses a risk to the environment and the people and animals that live within it, if a salmonella outbreak stems from peanut butter or poultry or packaged deli meats—or maybe something else entirely.

They are the true unsung heroes of public health.

But don’t just take our word for it. Take it from the people and programs that partner with public health laboratories on their critical work. In celebration of Public Health Laboratory Appreciation Month, we asked some of them to share their thoughts on what makes public health laboratories so vital. Here, their responses.

“Every September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joins APHL to recognize the noble efforts of public health laboratory professionals who work tirelessly to protect the health of all people and all communities. Now more than ever, we must celebrate the nation’s public health laboratory workforce. Their selfless commitment to service safeguards the health and well-being of our nation and our world.”— Reynolds M. Salerno, PhD, director, Office of Laboratory Science and Safety, CDC

“Public health laboratories are a cornerstone of our food safety system. Their rigorous testing and analysis ensure that our food supply remains safe and free from contaminants. We appreciate their dedication to scientific excellence and their crucial role in preventing foodborne illnesses, protecting consumers and maintaining public trust in our food safety system.”—Steven Mandernach, executive director, Association of Food and Drug Officials

“The Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) and its members rely every day on the important work performed in our nation’s public health labs. We have been excited to see the developments in electronic lab reporting this year, and we look forward to much more to come as we pursue data modernization at all levels of government. BCHC will continue to advocate for more robust and consistent federal funding to support our public health labs so we can stay ahead of threats to public health.”—Chrissie Juliano, executive director, Big Cities Health Coalition                     

“Public health laboratories provide critical specialized diagnostic, environmental and emergency laboratory testing and response that is unique and informs the work of applied epidemiologists working in health departments across the nation. Together, applied epidemiologists and public health laboratorians are the bedrock of public health. They work in partnership at the state, territorial and local levels as our nation’s first line of defense in protecting everyone’s health against disease outbreaks and other health hazards. They also help to achieve the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) vision of healthy people and communities everywhere. CSTE is grateful for the public health laboratories and staff working tirelessly every day to keep us safe.”—Janet Hamilton, MPH, executive director, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

“Our national public health laboratories have always risen to the need to partner with state and federal regulatory agencies across the country to provide timely, accurate, credible analysis that is critical in maintaining and improving the safety of our nation and the world’s food supply.”—Barbara Cassens, Office of Partnerships, Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Regulatory Affairs