In this episode Rome interviews Dr. Alan Wu, Chief of Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Professor of Laboratory Medicine at UCSF. He emphasizes the critical role of laboratories in healthcare, noting that 70% of medical decisions are based on clinical laboratory tests, yet the lab often remains behind the scenes and underappreciated.
Dr. Wu discusses his innovative use of social media, particularly TikTok, to educate the public about laboratory medicine. His channel #LabTales has garnered significant traction, with over 50,000 followers, nearly 100,000 likes and over six million views. He explains how social media allows for rapid dissemination of information, and highlights his research on using social media to promote lab medicine, published in the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine
The conversation touches on the importance of patient access to laboratory tests, particularly in precision medicine, and how legislation like the LDT (Laboratory Developed Tests) regulation could hinder innovation. Dr. Wu stresses the need for patients to be more involved in their healthcare decisions, advocating for greater awareness and understanding of laboratory tests and genetics.
You can find more about Dr Wu on his website alanhbwu.com
