The latest trends in cannabis and cannabis testing
Facing the main challenges of the cannabis testing industry
THC test for hemp and marijuana
Capability testing in cannabis and cannabis laboratories
Setting up and operating a cannabis testing laboratory: key points to consider
The key to successfully certifying your cannabis or cannabis testing laboratory
Dr. Susan Audino, analytical chemist/chemometricist and independent consultant, shared her experience in the cannabis science industry and highlighted opportunities for growth and improvement in cannabis testing laboratories.
A: The most likely thing is customer retention. The laboratory is mainly operated under the condition of unclear direction, which leads the customer to guide the laboratory science. For example, a laboratory that has developed extremely precise and accurate test methods with well-defined measurement uncertainty may provide test results that are unfavorable to customers. When faced with losing the customer, the laboratory may make business decisions to modify the test method to reduce performance, thereby providing greater uncertainty (presumably to obtain regulatory specifications) to meet customer requirements.
Answer: This will be the capital expenditure to start the laboratory. The equipment is expensive. In my opinion, staffing will be next. The laboratory should enlist experienced laboratory personnel who have "circled in circles" several times and have developed a series of problem-solving skills to solve the inevitable wrinkles in the laboratory. Related to this is employee retention—employees’ work as scientists needs to be respected, they need to be appreciated for the scientific integrity they bring to the laboratory, and they need to provide external opportunities for professional development. All these elements have laid the foundation for the laboratory's technical success. Finally, another major cost is consumables, such as reference materials that should be indispensable for every test.
Answer: Regulatory norms may not always be based on sound scientific processes or capabilities. This allows laboratories to develop methods to ensure the health and safety of consumers, but may lead to bankruptcy of laboratory customers (product manufacturers). Essentially, laboratories are forced to balance regulatory requirements (to conduct business), customer needs (to maintain business), and scientific integrity (to ensure the credibility of results), which inevitably leads to compromises.
Answer: Instrumentation and instrumentation applications continue to improve, just like in other industries. In the end, the benefits and utility of the instrument can only be realized by experienced scientists, many of whom have only rough experience/knowledge and do not fully accept the capabilities of their equipment. With the development of instruments and their drivers, they usually look like "plug and play" and give the impression that "anyone can run it", which of course is not true. Although almost anyone can learn to press a button, understanding what is happening inside the black box is vital and should never be underestimated.
A: I continue to admire and respect the outstanding work of all regulatory agencies. They are placed in a situation where they are required to switch from prosecution to supervision of consumer safety basically overnight. For them, this is an incredible paradigm shift! Nonetheless, this has led to regulations that promote the development of science, and since science is always time-consuming and late, the landscape is constantly evolving. It is exciting to see that non-scientist supervisors are more willing to accept and learn science. As an entity, they continue to cooperate with the scientific community such as AOAC International. The CANNRA Cooperative was recently established, which currently has more than 30 state regulatory agencies participating. As the regulatory infrastructure becomes more centralized and their collaboration with science continues, the landscape will change. Only through collaborative efforts will the natural order change, and laboratories will not have to sacrifice science in order to maintain their customer base in order to continue their business.
Answer: Some organizations have been trying to standardize test methods and overall laboratory testing. First of all, ISO/IEC 17025 is essentially the main content of every test laboratory. As the international gold standard for technical capabilities, this should be a requirement. The standard does not prescribe practices in the cannabis industry; in general, it requires laboratories to develop a system based on personal risk. This flexibility often leads laboratories to take minimal measures to ensure compliance. Therefore, several organizations are currently formulating supplementary ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, which will provide more specific directions and higher expectations for cannabis laboratories. Supplementary requirements are not new and exist in other industries, such as food.
At the forefront of actual testing methods, some organizations are developing standardized methods. Several test methods have been single and multiple laboratory verifications and have been released. We must remember that sound scientific processes do not happen in a vacuum, nor will they develop rapidly; they need time. In addition, it is important to remember that reviewing test methods as standard test methods should not be based on popularity contests. It must be reviewed by experts with known and proven expertise on the subject to ensure that the (candidate) method is reasonable and suitable for the purpose.
Answer: It is exciting to see the development of cannabis research. It has been a long time, and the possibilities are endless. The testing industry is slightly different from the research industry. Here, we are concerned with the development of statistically credible test methods suitable for the purpose. Research focuses on finding empirical evidence that supports hypotheses, while testing laboratories (usually) focus on quality control of a given sample. These third-party testing laboratories need reliable methods and technical capabilities to prove the authenticity of the results to (eventually) ensure consumer safety.
As I mentioned before, the continued cooperation between regulatory agencies, testing laboratories, and scientific organizations will ultimately make the industry a better foundation for all stakeholders.
Dr. Susan Audino is an analytical chemist/chemometricist and independent consultant (S. Audino & Associates, LLC) in the Chemistry and Biology Laboratory. As a contractor of a certification body, she evaluates laboratories according to a number of ISO/IEC standards (including ISO/IEC 17025) and serves as a lecturer. Dr. Audino is a board member of the Environmental Medicine Research Center and Hood College. She enjoys a high reputation in the cannabis industry and is a recognized leader in official/consensus testing methods and quality development in cannabis laboratory science. She has been a member of the technical expert review and advisory panel and currently serves as a scientific consultant for the AOAC International Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP), advising a number of cannabis testing laboratories, private and non-profit cannabis organizations, and recently joined the analytical cannabis editorial Advisory Committee. Dr. Audino has presided over the Analytical Cannabis Working Group, is a member of the NCIA Laboratory Testing Guide, is a member of the Emerald Scientific Advisory Group, and advises many organizations and regulatory agencies. He has been invited to speak at academic conferences at home and abroad many times. Dr. Audino is the head of a number of independent companies, has a number of patents pending, and is the contributing author of Cannabis Laboratory Fundamentals published by Springer Nature in 2021.
The contact information of Lab Manager's Executive Editor Lauren Everett is: levett@labmanager.com or 973-721-4070.
The latest trends in cannabis and cannabis testing
THC test for hemp and marijuana
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