Maryland Animal Health Labs Accredited for Updated International Standards

First Labs in the Nation to Receive Prestigious Accreditation

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories in Salisbury and Frederick have become the first and second animal health labs in the nation to be accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for the updated International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025:2017 standard.

“The Salisbury and Frederick Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories are vital to Maryland’s poultry, equine and livestock industries,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “Not only do they provide the critical service of keeping Maryland’s animals and citizens safe from infectious diseases, they are also ensuring our state’s agriculture industry remains competitive in the U.S. and around the world. I am consistently impressed by the department’s Animal Health Program and I commend our staff for their hard work in reaching compliance with this new international standard.”

The Salisbury Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory was the first animal health lab in the national to be accredited for the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard by the A2LA on Friday, July 13. The Salisbury lab, which focuses primarily on poultry diseases that could impact the commercial poultry industry, was reaccredited for testing the following infectious diseases: Avian Influenza (Influenza A), Salmonella, Infectious Bronchitis Virus, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, Newcastle Disease Virus (Avian Paramyxovirus Type-1), Virulent Newcastle Disease, Swine Influenza, and Equine Infectious Anemia.

The Frederick Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory was the second animal health lab in the country to be accredited for the updated international standard by the A2LA on Thursday, July 19. The Frederick lab focuses primarily on horses and food-producing livestock, and was reaccredited for testing the following infectious diseases: Anaplasma, Avian Influenza (Influenza A), Blue Tongue Virus, Brucellosis, Contagious Equine Metritis, Equine Infectious Anemia, Newcastle Disease Virus (Avian Paramyxovirus Type-1), and Virulent Newcastle Disease Virus.

“Every day the staff from the Salisbury and Frederick Animal Health Labs are providing timely and accurate diagnostic services for Maryland’s equine, livestock and poultry industries,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh. “Achieving accreditation for this high international standard was no small feat as it took an enormous amount of time and effort. I am very proud of the animal health lab staff for their professionalism and dedication to the department and our state’s agriculture industry.”

The Accreditation Policy Statement of the Animal Health Program states that it is the goal of the Maryland Department of Agriculture to view accreditation not as an endpoint, but as a journey towards continuous improvement within the laboratory system. The staff at the Salisbury and Frederick Animal Health Diagnostic Labs are always working to improve the laboratories quality standards and to ensure timely, accurate and trusted results.

The ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard serves as an “international reference for laboratories carrying out calibration and testing activities around the world.” Being in compliance with this standard assures that Maryland’s animal health laboratories are implementing a sound quality system, are technically competent, and are able to produce valid and reliable results. Obtaining this international standard also allows for cooperation and shared reporting with other nations. With this standard, tests and certifications can be accepted between different countries, helping to eliminate redundancies and creating a pathway for smoother international trade.

The standard was first created in 1999 and was last updated in 2005. With drastic changes in technology, information technology, and laboratory equipment, the ISO/IEC 17025 standard was updated in 2017 to reflect these modern advances. The new standard now has a stronger emphasis on information technologies and using computer systems to improve reporting. It also has updated its scope to cover testing, calibration and sampling. In addition, the 2017 standard introduces the concept of risk-based thinking and has revised the process approach to match newer quality standards.

The A2LA is a nonprofit internationally recognized laboratory accreditation organization in the United States dedicated to the formal recognition of competent testing and calibration. Accreditation by the A2LA verifies that an organization follows a documented Quality Management System in accordance with Quality System elements of international standards, including technical competency. To qualify for accreditation, the two laboratories had to demonstrate through extensive, detailed documentation that they adhere to strict internationally recognized standards and protocols when conducting accredited tests.

For more information about the Salisbury Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory and the Frederick Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, please visit: mda.maryland.gov/AnimalHealth/Pages/laboratory.aspx.

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