Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)
CLIA Contact Information
Health Facility Licensing and Certification Bureau
5301 Central Ave NE
Suite 400
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Phone: (505) 222-8646
Fax: (505) 841-5834
Email: julie.aragon@state.nm.us
Overview
CLIA Mission Statement
The mission of the New Mexico CLIA program is to ensure that the highest quality of laboratory testing is performed in New Mexico through education and enforcement of federal regulations.
A Brief History of CLIA
CLIA began in the late 1960's when problems arose in the cytology laboratories that read PAP smears. The personnel in these laboratories were overworked and had a very high error rate.
Many women suffered or died because the cytologists had missed the early stages of cancer on the PAP smears. In 1967, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment was passed and the first laboratory regulations were born. In 1988, a second amendment was passed but did not go into effect until 1992 when the new regulations were approved.
Purpose of CLIA
The purpose of CLIA is to set minimum standards for all laboratories to follow and to determine if laboratories are achieving those standards.
