Date Recorded: February 23, 2021

Length: 90 minutes

Course Content

Setting Realistic Timelines for Starting up a Lab - Katherine M. Evans, Ph.D., Longboard Scientific Consulting Corporation - Starting a cannabis testing laboratory is a complex endeavor with many aspects to consider • between capital investment, business and marketing plan(s), building location/construction/utilities, regulatory licensing city/state and ever changing testing regulations it is helpful to have a plan of action with realistic timelines before the doors are open for business. The goal of this discussion is to introduce some of the considerations and how to navigate the complexities without being completely blindsided, educating oneself to this process will ensure overall success.

Considerations for Building a Technical Development Plan - Julie Kowalski, jkSS, LLC - There are different strategies that can be used when establishing testing methods for a new lab. Early planning must consider regulations, business goals and resources and their direct impact to lab work planning. Key considerations will be introduced to help new labs plan their validation and testing program.

Navigating Laboratory Accreditation - Susan Audino, PhD, S. Audino & Associates, LLC - Laboratory accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 has moved beyond a recommended process and more into a requirement by cannabis regulatory bodies. The standard itself serves as the foundation for a quality management system that covers both quality assurance and quality control and has been implemented by thousands of laboratories around the globe. Different from “certification”, the process toward and attainment of accreditation is acknowledgement that the laboratory is technically competent to perform a specified scope of work. Establishing the quality basis of all laboratory activities is neither easy nor cost-free, yet the reward is defensible data. The discussion here will identify the fundamental structure and process of accreditation.