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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its medical regulations to establish standards for VA clinical laboratories. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established standards at 42 CFR part 493 for the staffing, management, procedures, and oversight of clinical laboratories that perform testing used in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or health assessment of human beings. VA is required, in consultation with HHS, to establish standards equal to that applicable to other clinical laboratories. As a matter of policy and practice VA has applied HHS standards to its VA laboratory operations, and this proposed rule would formalize this practice.  The rule would address how VA applies 42 CFR part 493 as a controlling standard for VA medical facility laboratories.