Lab Matters Fall 2016 | Page 35

digital extra TOOLS YOU CAN USE Get the mobile app or go to www.aphl.org/LabMatters to enjoy interactive features Publications Best Practices for Submission of Actionable Food and Feed Testing Data Generated in State and Local Laboratories Laboratory accreditation has been identified as a critical element for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of food testing results. State and local regulatory laboratories are strongly encouraged to consider becoming accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for food and feed testing, especially when that data could become relevant to regulatory partners. This document is primarily designed to advise such non-accredited governmental laboratories which may have a quality management system in place that demonstrates their ability to provide reliable data, but it is not based on ISO/IEC 17025. Current Status of Data Exchange in the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) Guess the Pathogen This one can be hard to diagnose, since it causes symptoms similar to other diseases. An exclusively human pathogen, it has a tendency to form pairs and outbreaks occur worldwide in both epidemic and endemic forms. It can affect the brain and spine, as well as cause septicemia, so early detection and response is critical. CLICK HERE TO GUESS THE PATHOGEN To assist CDC with planning for the future of data exchange in the LRN, APHL included a suite of data messaging questions in its Annual All-Hazards Laboratory Preparedness Survey in September 2015 to determine the status of electronic data messaging in 54 public health LRN member laboratories across the US. The assessment demonstrated that state and local public health LRN member laboratories are utilizing multiple systems for electronic data exchange. Sierra Leone and Guinea: Strengthening Public Health Laboratories During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the US government pledged $5 billion in emergency funds for the Ebola response. CDC assigned a portion of these funds to APHL to work in Guinea and Sierra Leone and assist the countries’ national laboratory systems to build capability and capacity for quality laboratory services: testing for case detection, treatment monitoring and surveillance. Policy Update From the Blog Congress was able to avoid a government shutdown as well as approve new funding for Zika. What does this mean for PHLs? As part of Michigan’s routine pet food surveillance program, microbiologists in the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Laboratory Division were used to testing random samples of dog food. On April 2, 2012 the importance of their work was made abundantly clear. Learn more. Senior Director of Public Policy Peter Kyriacopoulos discusses the impact and next steps. Public health laboratory scientists are used to the preparations and demands that come with emerging disease threats. But Zika virus is different. Learn more. Got a story to tell? We are always looking for stories from our members to share in our magazine, blog and other channels. From LIMS to biomonitoring to whole genome sequencing, we want to hear from YOU! Submit your ideas to [email protected]. PublicHealthLabs @APHL APHL.org Fall 2016 LAB MATTERS 33