Amendments to test reports

Bulletin date:
Bulletin number:
2025-01

Action required


All SCC-accredited and applicant testing laboratories in the Agriculture Inputs, Food, Animal Health and Plant Protection (AFAP) Program Speciality Area (PSA) are recommended to reassess current practices of reporting testing results to their customers and make sure it conforms to the applicable requirements and the intend of the standard.

 

Affected customers


SCC-accredited laboratories and applicant in Laboratory Accreditation Program, AFAP PSA.

 

Background


Based on general observations during assessment activities, especially related to laboratories performing food testing, the SCC and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) deem it is important to clarify the application of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, section 7.8.8, regarding amendments to test reports. There are different situations which necessitate laboratories to amend test reports. When an amendment is required, the laboratory’s procedures and practices shall meet the requirements and intended purpose of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, clause 7.8.8 and 7.1.4.
 

Written communication between the laboratory and the customer is a critical aspect to ensure that deviations requested by the customer would not potentially influence the validity of test reports. As per ISO/IEC 17025:2017, clause 7.1.4, “Each contract shall be acceptable both to the laboratory and the customer. Deviations requested by the customer shall not impact the integrity of the laboratory or the validity of the results.”  

 

New requirements


There are no new requirements, rather acceptable practices are being clarified as follows:

  • Correction of an error or omission (e.g. correcting an address, addition of units if accidentally omitted);
  • Removal of a result where it is re-issued on a different report (e.g. laboratory has reported food and environmental monitoring results on one report, where the customer would like the results issued on separate reports);

  • Reporting of a result as an intermediary or preliminary test report, followed by the issuance of an amended report that includes the final confirmed results (as long as the records provide traceability of all test methods used to analyze the sample).

     

Unacceptable practices, regardless of the reported results (e.g. negative, presumptive positive, positive in microbiology laboratories):

  • Removal of a result from a report (except where the amended report has a result that supersedes the previously reported result, for example, as described in point c) above, where a presumptive positive result is removed and replaced with a confirmed result);
  • Intentional destruction of an original report;
  • Reporting results over the phone, where a report is not subsequently issued.

 

Although this clarification primarily focuses on food testing laboratories, the requirements apply to all accredited laboratories. Efforts should be made to review existing practices related to issuing, preserving content, record keeping, and transmission of test reports, including amendments. Correct and consistent application of the reporting principles of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is expected to ensure a commitment to quality, integrity, ethical principles and values of conformity assurance.
 

Deadline


Effective immediately.


Questions?


For more information, please contact Jason Hachey, Manager, Compliance and Assessment Services, Accreditation Services Branch at jason.hachey@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222.