US-based contract research organisation (CRO) Quintiles Transnational says it now has “the largest CAP-accredited central laboratory network in the world”, after the CRO’s central lab in Buenos Aires, Argentina was certified by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).
Just over a year ago, Quintiles was making the same claim for its wholly owned central laboratory network in China, India, Singapore, Scotland, South Africa and the US. Now the company’s subcontractor laboratories in Argentina, Brazil and Japan are also CAP-accredited.
CAP certification aims to improve patient safety by advancing the quality of pathology and laboratory services through education, standard-setting and ensuring laboratories meet or exceed regulatory requirements. The accreditation process is conducted every two years and involves an on-site evaluation by practising laboratory professionals, who examine records, quality control, staff qualifications, equipment, safety provisions and overall laboratory management.
Quintiles operates the Buenos Aires laboratory with subcontractor Centralab, using on-site Quintiles staff and equipment coupled with Centralab technicians and instrumentation.
The CRO also has a company-owned support facility close by, which works in tandem with the central laboratory to provide testing, project management and logistical support as well as study-specific laboratory kits, local investigator support, samples management, storage and processing.
