The quality of the analyses and results of such laboratories have significant implications for the justice system, law enforcement, crime prevention and health policy, as well as for the international harmonization and worldwide exchange and coordination of drug information and data.

These guidelines are specifically for drug testing laboratories and are based on the general principles of the ISO 17025 standard. Dedication to quality is the fundamental principle of a forensic laboratory. The aim of this document is to provide guidance to deliver high quality in a forensic laboratory, use the appropriate techniques to find the “answers” and to improve it constantly. It is a “how to do document” and includes some areas that are not explicitly covered in depth by ISO 17025.

It is intended to serve as an introduction to laboratory quality management systems and to provide practical guidance to national authorities and analysts for the implementation of such systems based on best practice in the laboratory.