PharmaNet Development Group, a provider of drug development services, said its bioanalytical laboratory in Quebec City, Canada, has received formal recognition from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) for its compliance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

 "After an in-depth review by a four-person inspection team, the Standards Council of Canada awarded us with official recognition of GLP compliance," said Tony Jones, executive director, quality assurance and compliance.

"We have a long track record of successful inspections from global regulatory bodies, including a re-certification from Brazil's ANVISA just prior to the SCC inspection,” he said.

The final guidance describing the program was announced by Health Canada in April 2010. Thirty-four countries in North America, Europe and Asia constitute the OECD, an inter-governmental organization that pursues, among many other policies, the international harmonization of test methods and good laboratory practices. Upholding the principles of GLP ensures that a laboratory's quality system and management controls are consistent and reliable, which is essential for producing high-quality and valid test data.