The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT) have formed a strategic alliance whereby ANAB will administer the ABFT accreditation program on behalf of the ABFT.
While the ABFT laboratory accreditation program will be unchanged, all forensic toxicology laboratories accredited by the ABFT or seeking ABFT accreditation will now have an avenue to become accredited to ANAB's forensic testing program based on ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for testing laboratories. Each laboratory accredited by ANAB and ASCLD/LAB will have the opportunity to add the ABFT Laboratory Accreditation Standard to its scope of accreditation.
Under the ANAB-ABFT alliance, ABFT laboratory inspectors will continue conduct inspections for ABFT's current laboratory accreditation program. ANAB will provide appropriate training to ABFT laboratory inspectors and ANAB-ASCLD/LAB toxicology assessors to conduct ANAB assessments that include the ABFT Laboratory Accreditation Standard.
The ABFT has had an accreditation program for forensic toxicology laboratories involved in postmortem toxicology and human performance testing for 19 years. It currently accredits 40 laboratories. ANAB-ASCLD/LAB has been accrediting forensic toxicology laboratories for more than 30 years. The ANAB-ABFT alliance will combine the resources of both programs to provide the highest quality accreditation services available in postmortem and human performance forensic toxicology.
The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) provides accreditation for ISO/IEC 17025 forensic and non-forensic testing and calibration laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 forensic and non-forensic inspection bodies and forensic inspection agencies, ISO Guide 34 reference material producers, ISO/IEC 17043 proficiency test providers, ISO 15189 medical test laboratories, ISO/IEC 17021 management systems certification bodies, and industry-specific programs. ANAB is a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), and is a signatory of the ILAC and IAF multilateral recognition arrangements. Through these arrangements, ANAB cooperates with other accreditation bodies around the world to provide value to the organizations it has accredited and their clients, ensuring that accredited certificates and test results are recognized nationally and internationally. The global conformity assessment system ensures confidence and reduces risk for customers engaging in trade worldwide. For more information, visit www.anab.org.
The American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT) is a professional organization whose purpose is to establish and enhance voluntary standards for the practice of forensic toxicology and for the examination and recognition of scientists and laboratories providing forensic toxicology services. The ABFT was founded in 1975 to provide, in the interest of the public and the advancement of the sciences, a certification program in forensic toxicology. The ABFT currently certifies 393 forensic toxicologists. For more information, visit www.abft.org.