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October 3, 2008
Biothreat Agent Detection Contract Extended
In order to continue its mission of building an enduring national capacity by performing independent, third-party evaluation and validation of biothreat agent detection systems, AOAC signed on August 12 an extension to its current contract with the Department of Homeland Security, Directorate of Science and Technology (DHS S&T). The DHS project is focused on setting standards and developing testing plans for the evaluation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the detection of Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis in aerosols. The Stakeholders Panel on Agent Detection Assays (SPADA) is currently developing method performance requirements and testing plans for the three biological threat agents.
As part of the contract renewal, AOAC will add three new tasks to its work, and will:
Extend Working Groups. Three working groups will be maintained for Yersinia pestis, environmental factors, and the assay, so that unresolved issues can be addressed in the most efficient manner. In addition, a new working group, including first responders, will be established for the purpose of planning a town hall-style meeting based on stakeholder input.
Increase Broad Communications. AOAC will expand SPADA to include more first responders and end-users, as well as more representatives from the public health community.
Convene an Expert Review Panel. AOAC will convene an expert review panel to examine the internal testing data collected by the assay developers and to select the best candidate assay(s) to undergo the pilot single-laboratory evaluation and multicenter validation.
In addition, AOAC organized a town hall meeting that was held on September 12, 2008, in Rockville, Maryland, USA. See summary. The meeting provided a forum to give a collective and powerful voice for constituents on a strategy that will help DHS drive the future direction of the program.
Full coverage of the extension of the AOAC/DHS biothreat detection contract is scheduled in the September/October issue of Inside Laboratory Management.
September 15, 2008
November 25 - 28, 2008 in Barcelona, Spain
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