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Biological

A2LA's biological testing field covers biological, microbiological, and biochemical testing and measurement, including but not limited to the examination of foods, cannabis, and pharmaceuticals.

Program Requirements

ISO/IEC 17025 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Optional Requirements for the Accreditation of Field Work.
- A2LA also offers additional requirements for laboratories performing tests in the field (i.e., at other than a permanent laboratory site).
Optional Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements.

Resources

Why ISO/IEC 17025 for Cannabis Testing Laboratories

Summary of CASCO ISO/IEC 17025 WG44 Drafting Group Meeting in Geneva, July 2017

A2LA Today l September 2017 l Number 136 By Tim Osborne, A2LA Senior Director of Training Services Read more

Revising ISO/IEC 17025 – A Summary of CASCO WG44 Meeting 5

CASCO Working Group (WG) 44 held its fifth meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on 20-23 September 2016 at the ISO headquarters. Forty-One delegates and nineteen liaison members were in attendance plus ei… Read more

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 - Forensic Q&A

A2LA Forensic accreditation program experts conducted a live Q&A for forensic laboratories to ask questions about the newly published standard. Read more

ISO/IEC 17025 Identified as an Approved Forensic Standard by the OSAC

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC), a forensic organization administered by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has recently completed its review of the ISO/IEC … Read more

ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17011 Update

A2LA Today l December 2017 l Number 137 By Trace McInturff, A2LA Senior Director, Accreditation Services Read more

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Biological Subprograms

In addition to the general biological field, subprograms within this field have been developed in the following areas, each of which has associated with it additional, specific requirements for accreditation. Learn more:

Food and Pharmaceutical Testing Laboratory Accreditation Program
Veterinary Laboratory Accreditation Program
Cannabis Testing Laboratory Accreditation Program

FAQs

What is a CAB?

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A Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) is defined in …

How does A2LA determine the number of assessors that will be assigned to perform our assessment?

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The most important factor in determining the …

Does A2LA have recognition from specific organizations in the United States?

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Yes. Domestic recognition of A2LA programs in…

What impact have heightened world tensions had on A2LA's international activities?

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A2LA Management has published a comprehensive…

How is "Laboratory Accreditation" different from "Quality Systems Registration and Certification"?

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Terms such as "quality system registration" or "a…

How long does it take to obtain A2LA accreditation?

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The key factor in determining the time it wil…

What are the requirements for A2LA Accreditation?

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The requirements for which a CAB is normally asse…

What are the typical steps in planning for laboratory accreditation?

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A2LA has developed a short document entitled …

How much does A2LA Accreditation cost?

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The cost to obtain accreditation will vary depend…

What is "conformity assessment accreditation"?

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Conformity assessment accreditation is defined as…

What is the "scope of accreditation"?

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The list of specific tests, types of tests, calib…

Why isn't compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 enough for A2LA Accreditation?

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The introduction to ISO/IEC 17025 notes that accr…

When should we enroll in proficiency testing programs?

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Laboratories that intend to apply in the near fut…

What are the proficiency testing requirements for laboratories seeking accreditation?

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A2LA now publishes all proficiency testing (PT) r…

What are A2LA's Metrological Traceability Policies?

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A2LA's general Metrological Traceability Policy r…

Which calibration laboratories in the U.S. are acceptable to A2LA?

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There are five accreditation bodies (ABs) in the …

How are exceptions to the A2LA Traceability Policy handled?

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Exceptions to the A2LA Traceability Policy ca…

What happens during the assessment if our calibration services are not accredited by an accreditation body recognized by A2LA?

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In general, A2LA's assessors will cite labora…

Lodging a Complaint

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In order for us to investigate and assist in reso…

Disputes with A2LA Accredited Organizations

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If the issue relates to a dispute with an A2L…

Who evaluates A2LA?

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Evaluation of A2LA is done through the peer e…

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