Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory will seek ISO 17025 accreditation for its drug-testing lab

As part of its ongoing commitment to the state’s horse racing industry, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) announced that it will seek ISO 17025 accreditation for its drug-testing lab from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

TVDML’s goal is to achieve accreditation from A2LA by early spring of 2014. This would be the laboratory’s second accreditation. In 2012, the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) renewed TVMDL’s accreditation for an additional five years, which includes its drug-testing lab.

The A2LA accreditation program is designed to meet the guidelines of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) and the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC). TVMDL is an AORC member.

ISO 17025 is an international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. In addition to ISO 17025 accreditation, the A2LA program includes accreditation that is designed specifically for competition animal drug-testing laboratories

“Applying for ISO 17025 accreditation from A2LA is an extensive and demanding process,” TVMDL Director Dr. Tammy Beckham said. “After carefully considering this option, we decided that securing ISO 17025 accreditation is the next important step in our agency’s commitment to serving the Texas horse racing industry.”

Under the Texas Racing Act of 1989, TVMDL’s College Station facility serves as the primary provider of drug-testing services to the state’s pari-mutuel horse racing and greyhound racing industries. Pari-mutuel horse racing events at Texas racetracks generated more than $369 million in total wagers during 2012, an increase of almost 4 percent from 2011, according to the Texas Racing Commission.

Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said, “The team at TVMDL does an outstanding job of leading in the science of veterinary diagnostics and this is a great example of how they positively impact the state and its constituents.”