Centre to tighten lab sample collection, transport rules

DGHS is set to notify the rules mandating minimum standards to curb inaccurate test results

- Priyanka Sharma

The government is planning a massive overhaul in the functioning of the country’s 300,000 diagnostic laboratories to improve their service quality and reliability.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is set to notify rules mandating minimum standards for medical sample collection and transportation to prevent compromise or contamination that could lead to inaccurate test results, according to documents reviewed by Mint and officials familiar with the matter.

The new standards to be notified shortly aim to address the regulatory gap that has led to compromised sample integrity and result inconsistencies, particularly in the growing home-collection sector. The proposed protocol following a Delhi high court order will ensure that all samples, including blood, urine, and swabs, are handled by trained professionals and transported under proper conditions.

The development assumes significance for India’s $13 billion diagnostic industry and will provide them with a uniform and legally-binding framework.