ISO/TC 212/WG 4 - Microbiology and molecular diagnostics

This document specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the handling, documentation and processing of urine, venous blood plasma and serum intended for metabolomics analysis in the pre-examination processes. This document is applicable to metabolomics examinations and can be used by biomedical laboratories, customers of laboratories, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, institutions and companies performing biomedical research, biobanks, and regulatory authorities.

This document specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the handling, storage, processing, and documentation of frozen tissue specimens intended for DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate DNA isolated from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Tissues that have undergone chemical stabilization pre-treatment before freezing are not covered in this document. NOTEÂ Â Â Â Â International, national, or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document describes the particular clinical laboratory practice requirements to ensure the quality of detection, identification and quantification of microbial pathogens using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). It is intended for use by laboratories that develop, and/or implement and use, or perform NAAT for medical, research or health-related purposes. This document does not apply to the development of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices by manufacturers. However, it does include verification and validation of such devices and/or the corresponding processes when implemented and used by the laboratories.

This document provides the terms and general requirements for the evaluation of the quality of nucleic acids as the analytes for multiplex molecular tests, which simultaneously identify two or more nucleic acid target sequences of interest. This document is applicable to all multiplex molecular methods used for examination using in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices and laboratory developed tests (LDTs). It provides information for both qualitative and quantitative detection of nucleic acid target sequences. This document is intended as guidance for multiplex molecular assays that detect and/or quantify human nucleic acid target sequences or microbial pathogen nucleic acid target sequences from human clinical specimens. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. This document is not applicable to metagenomics. NOTE An examination procedure developed for a laboratory's own use is often referred to as a "laboratory developed test", "LDT", or "in-house test".

This document provides recommendations and requirements on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for circulating cell free DNA (ccfDNA) examination during the pre-examination phase before an analytical test is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood genomic DNA, which are not described in this document. Blood genomic DNA is covered in ISO 20186-2. Different dedicated measures are taken for preserving DNA in circulating exosomes, which are not described in this document. NOTE ccfDNA obtained from blood by the procedures cited in this document can contain DNA originally present in exosomes[8][9]. DNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for genomic DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating DNA, which are not described in this document. NOTE Circulating cell free DNA in blood is covered in ISO 20186-3. Different dedicated measures are taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies or other technologies generating dried blood. These are not described in this document. This document does not cover the isolation of specific blood cells and subsequent isolation of genomic DNA therefrom. DNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for cellular RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating RNA and RNA in exosomes circulating in blood. These are not described in this document. Different dedicated measures are taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies or other technologies generating dried blood. These are not described in this document. This document does not cover the isolation of specific blood cells and subsequent isolation of cellular RNA therefrom. RNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for the examination of isolated proteins during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. This document is not applicable for protein examination by immunohistochemistry. NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate RNA extracted from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Tissues that have undergone chemical stabilization pre-treatment before freezing are not covered in this document. NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for the examination of isolated proteins during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate proteins isolated from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.