R3 Report Issue 50: New and Revised Requirements for Infection Prevention and Control for Laboratories
Effective July 1, 2025, ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ approved new and revised requirements for the “Infection Prevention and Control” (IC) chapter for laboratories. The IC chapter underwent a full rewrite and will replace the current IC chapter.
In keeping with the ongoing initiative to simplify requirements and provide more meaningful evaluations of organizations, ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ simplified the content and structure of the IC chapter and eliminated requirements that do not add value to accreditation surveys. The new and revised requirements focus on the structures that are essential for quality and safety and identify a framework for a strong infection prevention and control program, while aligning requirements more closely to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings.
After a review of the literature and consultation with a technical advisory panel on emerging infectious diseases preparedness, ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ has introduced new Standard IC.07.01.01 and two new elements of performance (EPs) to enhance laboratories’ preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases or special pathogens. The recent history of infectious disease outbreaks, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), Ebola, and actively ongoing global outbreaks (clade I mpox, Marburg virus) have clearly demonstrated that emerging infectious diseases pose a real threat to human health and can cause significant disruptions in health care delivery systems on local, national, and global scales. The new requirement’s standardized protocol-based approach to preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases or special pathogens is founded on fundamental infection control principles and serves to protect laboratory staff and the public.