Security Sensitive Biological Agent (SSBA) Proficiency Panel

Proficiency panel for the detection of bacterial Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBAs). 

The panel consists of viable or non-viable bacterial SSBAs, specifically Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Brucella spp., Burkholderia pseudomallei, and their near-neighbor bacterial strains. 

There is no cost to the participants.

The program is open to the member laboratories of the Canadian Laboratory Response Network (CLRN) for the purpose of biothreat agent screening and identification.

Participants are assigned alphanumeric codes which anonymizes their identity. All information supplied by a participant to the proficiency testing provider shall be treated as confidential. The proficiency panel will be run according to the specified procedures and without consultation with other laboratories.  Final reports will be shared with participants and shall not be distributed further without permission from the panel provider. The identity of the participants will not be disclosed; however, in exceptional circumstances where proficiency testing results are provided to a third party, all information will be anonymized before dissemination, and the participants will be notified in writing.

Submit your request to: nml.badd-eedmm.lnm@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Appeals process: Participants have the right to appeal the results of any proficiency test (PT) in which they are enrolled.

Any appeals received will be acknowledged, validated, and investigated, with the outcome communicated to the participant.

If any participant would like to appeal their results, they can email this request to nml.badd-eedmm.lnm@phac-aspc.gc.ca.