I believe their must be a misunderstanding.  There are many papers
validating the steam method.  Unless there has been a big pay-off (this
is a joke), I do not believe this is a new CAP regulation.
Immunohistochemistry markers are considered a Class 1 procedure and are
not regulated by FDA.  Whether you use a waterbath or steamer, or
pressure cooker or microwave to heat tissue, there should be very little
difference in the results, if applied correctly.  We all have to
validate our procedures with negative and positive controls that is
signed off by a pathologist.  Now if a procedure is approved by the FDA,
that is a different story.

I personally talked to Dako, and they said they know nothing about a CAP
ruling on steamer.

David Tacha