Should consideration be given to consolidating WNv testing in selected accredited laboratories for cell and tissue donors?
There should be at least one accredited lab doing testing of cell and tissue donors in each province. Consolidated testing should be available in every province. A centralized resource should exist for training and proficiency testing. Centralization should involve all of the country. A few problems may be associated with centralizing. These include turnaround time (sample transport) and lab capacity, as far as critical mass (staff and samples) is concerned. • If it is currently not possible to obtain tests results within appropriate time frames, what measures are required to rectify this? Centralization may rectify this problem. An increase in resources to provide more labs, more instruments and more staff to perform current and new and different technologies would improve the time frame for provision of results. Health Canada should be willing to consider alternatives, as other rapid screening methods. Health Canada should establish guidelines to deal with the situation when results
