Northfield, Ill. (July 9, 2025) — The College of American Pathologists (CAP) has received a grant to address the use of race in clinical algorithms for biochemical prenatal serum screening.
The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) announced the CAP will receive the $150,000 grant as part of a broader $1 million initiative. The CAP will develop an evidence-based guideline while clinical research partners will conduct original studies to address knowledge gaps, including validating race-neutral risk assessment algorithms using diverse patient data. This work will run in parallel culminating in a one-day Prenatal Serum Screening Symposium in 2026 to present findings.
“This initiative underscores the CAP’s leadership in advancing evidence-based practice and its ongoing commitment to address health inequity,” said CAP President, Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP. “Race has long been used as a variable in clinical decision-making, but this practice is increasingly being challenged as both scientifically flawed and ethically problematic.”
Prenatal serum screening estimates the risk of fetal genetic conditions using biomarker levels adjusted by a formula that includes maternal factors such as race. However, using race in these assessments can increase false positives and unnecessary testing. The goal of the CAP’s work is to advance health equity for anyone receiving biochemical prenatal serum screening.
This research project is funded by Grant 2024-0067 Doris Duke Foundation. The grant program is administered by the CMSS. The grant period runs from July 2025 through June 2026, with the symposium expected to take place at the conclusion of the project.
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As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, visit the CAP Newsroom, CAP.org and yourpathologist.org to watch pathologists at work and see the stories of the patients who trust them with their care.