Laboratory policies and guidelines

Australia has a favourable animal health status. We are free from many of the economically important diseases that occur in other parts of the world.

Laboratory diagnostics are key components of Australia’s animal health system.

Quality assured diagnostics:

• detect emergency and emerging animal diseases early
• support the management of endemic pests and diseases

These activities underpin national and international trade in livestock products and help to safeguard the economy, environment and health of Australians.

Our network

We are part of a national animal health laboratory network of state and territory governments and CSIRO. It also includes universities and industry groups. The network undertakes and manages laboratory diagnostic activities in Australia.

The coordination of this network’s functions enables Australia to meet international and domestic requirements of diagnostic laboratory services for various trade and certification purposes.

National laboratory policies and guidelines

We maintain several national policies and guidelines for animal health laboratories in Australia:

• Standards & Guidelines: Generation and Analysis of High Throughput Sequencing Data
• Guidelines for Implementing Diagnostic Next Generation Sequencing
• Policy for the transfer of biological specimens to overseas laboratories.