Zimbabwe’s Drug Lab Receives Certification

Zimbabwe's drug testing lab, which helps to protect the country from counterfeit drugs, recently received a commendation.

The International Standards Organization (ISO) recently bestowed ISO 17025 certification upon the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe's (MCAZ) drug-testing laboratories, states AllAfrica.com.

According to the ISO, 17025 Certification "is for use by laboratories in developing their management system for quality, administrative and technical operations. Laboratory customers, regulatory authorities and accreditation bodies may also use it in confirming or recognizing the competence of laboratories."

MCAZ chairman Dr. Emilio Mazhindu said that the agency is committed to fighting counterfeit drugs and will review global standards to help them improve their work.

MCAZ director-general Dr. Mafios Dauramanzi praised the drug testing laboratories.

"For the past 10 years, the unit has provided testing services to other African countries," he said. "It has also been instrumental in providing training to personnel and assisting some of these countries set up their own testing laboratories."

The news source reports that MCAZ was founded in 1997 as part of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act, and is the successor to the Drugs Control Council and the Zimbabwe Regional Drug Control Laboratory.