IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1237 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
APRIL 9, 2008 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions 
AN ACT 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide revised 
standards for quality assurance in screening and evalua-
tion of gynecologic cytology preparations, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cytology Proficiency 
Improvement Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. REVISED STANDARDS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE IN 
SCREENING 
AND 
EVALUATION 
OF 
GYNECOLOGIC CYTOLOGY PREPARATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 353(f)(4)(B)(iv) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 263a(f)(4)(B)(iv)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) requirements that each clinical 
laboratory— 
‘‘(I) ensure that all individuals 
involved in screening and interpreting 
cytological preparations at the labora-
tory participate annually in a con-
tinuing medical education program in 
gynecologic cytology that— 
‘‘(aa) is approved by the Ac-
crediting Council for Continuing 
Medical Education or the Amer-
ican 
Academy 
of 
Continuing 
Medical Education; and 
‘‘(bb) provides each indi-
vidual participating in the pro-
gram with gynecologic cytological 
preparations (in the form of ref-
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erenced glass slides or equivalent 
technologies) designed to improve 
the locator, recognition, and in-
terpretive skills of the individual; 
‘‘(II) maintain a record of the cy-
tology continuing medical education 
program results for each individual in-
volved in screening and interpreting 
cytological preparations at the labora-
tory; 
‘‘(III) provide that the laboratory 
director shall take into account such 
results and other performance metrics 
in reviewing the performance of indi-
viduals involved in screening and in-
terpreting cytological preparations at 
the laboratory and, when necessary, 
identify needs for remedial training or 
a corrective action plan to improve 
skills; and 
‘‘(IV) submit the continuing edu-
cation program results for each indi-
vidual and, if appropriate, plans for 
corrective action or remedial training 
in a timely manner to the laboratory’s 
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accrediting organization for purposes 
of review and on-going monitoring by 
the accrediting organization, including 
reviews of the continuing medical edu-
cation program results during on-site 
inspections of the laboratory.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION; TER-
MINATION OF CURRENT PROGRAM OF INDIVIDUAL PRO-
FICIENCY TESTING.— 
(1) EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION.— 
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amend-
ment made by subsection (a) applies to gynecologic 
cytology services provided on or after the first day 
of the first calendar year beginning 1 year or more 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services (hereafter 
in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 
shall issue final regulations implementing such 
amendment not later than 270 days after such date 
of enactment. 
(2) TERMINATION
OF
CURRENT
INDIVIDUAL 
TESTING PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall terminate the individual pro-
ficiency testing program established pursuant to sec-
tion 353(f)(4)(B)(iv) of the Public Health Service 
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Act (42 U.S.C. 263a(f)(4)(B)(iv)), as in effect on 
the day before the date of the enactment of sub-
section (a), at the end of the calendar year which in-
cludes the date of enactment of the amendment 
made by subsection (a). 
Passed the House of Representatives April 8, 2008. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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