The Department of Agriculture maintains agreed mechanisms and guidelines for the development, evaluation and communication of new tests developed in Australia and New Zealand for infectious animal diseases in relevant animal species. These tests are primarily for use in veterinary laboratories concerning animal trade, health and welfare.
Registers of veterinary laboratory tests
The department maintains the following lists of current and developing tests for infectious animal diseases used by veterinary laboratories in Australia:
Approved tests are those approved by the AHC, published by the department and included, as appropriate, into standard test procedures, such as Australian and New Zealand standard diagnostic procedures (ANZSDPs).
We promote the uptake of new tests by Australian and New Zealand veterinary laboratories through our network of more than 100 stakeholders.
New veterinary laboratory tests
The process for including a new test in the ANZSDPs is:
- Laboratory scientists develop a new test to the point where it is eligible for submission to the department for evaluation.
- Approved test is included in the relevant ANZSDP when it is next revised, unless the department recommends expediency.
See Developing and evaluating new veterinary laboratory tests.
Validation templates
The department coordinates independent evaluation of new test methodologies and validation data for tests that are to be included in ANZSDPs and provides feedback to authors after the evaluation process.
Validation templates for submission of new tests for evaluation are available for authors:
- Nucleic acid detection (NAD) validation template
- Extension of an existing assay validation template
- Serological assays validation template.
Author guidelines
This template provides standardised guidance to authors for the validation of diagnostic assays: