Through this cooperative agreement, the Indiana ADDL at Purdue University with its diagnostic personnel and testing capabilities, will work with the FDA CVM Vet-LRN to meet its goal to complement, develop, and improve Federal, State, Local, and Tribal animal food/drug/safety and security testing programs at university, state, and federal veterinary diagnostic testing laboratories. This will be done by addressing three key project areas: 1) through participation in FDA/Vet-LRN sample analysis, 2) by providing analytical data for potential regulatory use, and 3) through participation in small-scale method development, method validation and matrix extension work. In the event that laboratory surge capacity is needed by Vet-LRN and the FDA for analyses related to microbiological or chemical contamination, either through intentional or unintentional means, participation of the Indiana ADDL will help enable the analyses of animal diagnostic 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 facilitate early detection of animal food/drug adulteration or contamination contributing to overall food safety for animals and humans. In addition, the ADDL will work with the FDA CVM and other network 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.
