Through this cooperative agreement, the Indiana ADDL at Purdue University with its diagnosticpersonnel and testing capabilities, will work with the FDA CVM Vet-LRN to meet its goal tocomplement, develop, and improve Federal, State, Local, and Tribal animal food/drug/safety andsecurity testing programs at university, state, and federal veterinary diagnostic testinglaboratories. This will be done by addressing three key project areas: 1) through participation inFDA/Vet-LRN sample analysis, 2) by providing analytical data for potential regulatory use, and3) through participation in small-scale method development, method validation and matrixextension work. In the event that laboratory surge capacity is needed by Vet-LRN and the FDAfor analyses related to microbiological or chemical contamination, either through intentional orunintentional means, participation of the Indiana ADDL will help enable the analyses of animaldiagnostic samples and animal food/drug products submitted to the ADDL through Vet-LRN.Analyses of samples by the ADDL and other veterinary diagnostic laboratories will facilitateearly detection of animal food/drug adulteration or contamination contributing to overall foodsafety for animals and humans. In addition, the ADDL will work with the FDA CVM and othernetwork laboratories to facilitate methods standardization, training and proficiency testing.
This project is relevant to Public Health because the contribution of the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University to the Vet-LRN program will add an additional component to FDA's Office of Regulatory Affair's usual investigations and testing programs, i.e., the examination of veterinary diagnostic samples. Examination of such samples will greatly facilitate early detection of animal food/drug adulteration or contamination. These efforts can contribute to overall food safety as animal food events could signal potential issues in the human food system.
