BaseClear Group is ISO 17025 accredited!

As most people are familiar with, the results of the identity tests are regularly used as evidence in court cases and other legal procedures. The requirements for such evidence are therefore extremely stringent. For this reason, extensive validation of the setup and execution of the DNA identity tests constituted an important part of the procedure for achieving the accreditation. In addition to this, all laboratory procedures and organisational processes throughout the entire spectrum of the company were described and verified. This ranged from employment and training of new staff to checking of chemicals and equipment.

In addition to human identity tests, BaseClear offers a wide range of services and products in the field of DNA isolation, sequencing and synthesis, including the making of DNA constructs and the design of various different types of primers. The isolation of DNA directly from blood is one of the company’s specialties. In the near future, several of these services will be validated and included under the accreditation, the so-called scope, of ISO 17025.

According to one of BaseClear’s directors, Erna Barèl, making the high quality of BaseClear’s company processes more visible was the most important reason for investing in the long certification procedure. “Everyone is always claiming that they supply quality products and services. We are now supplying extremely transparent and controllable quality of the highest standard. This obviously also has commercial implications for us, since the confidence that clients have in the results produced by our tests has increased even further”.

Now that the accreditation is a fact, we cannot afford for the attention devoted to supplying quality products and services to drop even for a moment. Both internal and external experts monitor adherence to procedures very regularly and in different ways. Various controls have been integrated into various levels of the tests themselves in order to yield the level of certainty that is required of the results. In addition to this, participation in ring studies is mandatory, whereby only very minimal error margins are permitted. Barèl: “The procedure requires a substantial investment from both the company and its staff members. I am particularly proud of the fact that we have been able to achieve this as a team. Now that we have achieved this goal, we derive great satisfaction and convenience from it, because each and every member of the organisation knows exactly what needs to be done and what is expected in any given situation. A very comfortable position to be in”.

About BaseClear

BaseClear was founded in 1993. BaseClear was the first organisation in the Netherlands to focus entirely on the analysis of DNA. The company now offers a wide range of DNA services and products. There are more than 24 staff members working in a state of the art laboratory. The company is located in the BioSciencePark in Leiden. Clients include, amongst others, universities, research institutes, seed improvement companies, biotechnology companies and various multinationals.

Further Information

Mw.drs. Erna J. Barèl

Directie BaseClear

Einsteinweg 5

Postbus 1336

2302 BH Leiden

071-5233917

www.baseclear.com