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India's Diagnostics Industry

Lab Quality and NABL Accreditation

Why lab quality varies, how NABL accreditation certifies labs, why few small labs are accredited, and the risk of wrong results.

Lab quality varies.

Risks

Wrong results can lead to wrong treatment.

NABL

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accredits labs that meet quality standards.

Few accredited

Only a small share of India’s labs are NABL accredited.

Clinical Establishments Act

The Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 aims to register and set standards, but many states haven’t fully adopted it.

Unqualified labs

Some labs run without qualified pathologists; courts have ruled reports need pathologists’ signatures.

Economics

Quality is hard to see, so accreditation signals it.

The accredited lab

A patient chooses a NABL-accredited lab for a critical test, trusting its quality.

Thinking all lab results are equally reliable

Quality varies.

Key takeaways
  • Lab quality varies.
  • NABL accredits labs.
  • Few labs are accredited.
  • Accreditation signals quality.
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