Abu Dhabi’s agency for quality assurance, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) has collaborated with Biogenix Labs, a G42 Healthcare subsidiary to launch the first Proficiency Testing (PT) program for COVID-19 external testing procedures applicable for laboratories across the UAE.
Established in 2009, ADQCC was set up to formulate and execute product safety, legal metrology and conformity schemes to spur consumer confidence in products exported and used within the country.
The PT program is expected to evaluate, report service quality at laboratories across the emirates to raise the standard of quality assurance for COVID-19 testing in the UAE resulting in higher accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic methods used within the region.
As part of the process, COVID-19 RT-PCR samples prepared by Biogenix Labs were sent to over 15 government and private labs across the UAE. The results were then evaluated by ADQCC and sent back to the labs to check their quality standards. The initial survey samples were tested on 5 different platforms, including LamPORE which combines loop-mediated isothermal amplification with nanopore sequencing.
Biogenix Labs, a market leader in the field, employs platforms like RT-PCR diagnostic methods, isothermal amplification methods and the LamPORE sequencing method to perform COVID-19 molecular testing.
The lab conducts tens of thousands of RT-PCR tests per day and has to date processed more than 600,000 samples since commencing services.
Ashish Koshy CEO – G42 Healthcare
“We are very pleased to collaborate with ADQCC and become the first laboratory in the UAE privileged to provide the COVID-19 PT program. We are ready to step up to the challenge of conducting peer reviews and are honored to set the benchmark in accurate and reliable testing. We will work together with UAE labs to troubleshoot any deficiencies discovered and raise testing standards to ensure that a high degree of safety, accuracy and efficiency is adopted for population-scale detection and diagnosis across the UAE.”
Biogenix Labs
Part of G42 Healthcare, Biogenix Labs supports the health of the community by maintaining the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
It was the first lab to achieve ISO15189 accreditation for COVID RT PCR and COVID antibodies (IgG & IgM) from the Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS), the federal accreditation body of the UAE and is compliant with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH) protocols and the international standards.
