The US government just bought $17 million in specialized lab tests

The US government awarded a $17 million contract to Laboratory Corporation of America for specialized reference lab testing. This means the government will rely on a major commercial lab for a wide range of complex medical tests.

Government agencies often handle routine medical testing in-house. When they outsource specialized tests to large commercial labs, it signals a need for advanced capabilities or a desire to offload complex operations. This kind of procurement can also set de facto standards for what types of tests are considered 'specialized' and how they are handled.