Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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How often might it occur that samples are sent to a laboratory without the referrer having clear prior knowledge of its standard and whether it has accreditation? My presumption was that if a hospital, the HSE, a consultant or even a GP sent a sample in some direction, somebody would know what the capabilities and the standard in a professional capacity of the laboratory were, and whether it had a standing in accordance with the relevant ISO standards. Given the sensitive nature of healthcare in general, there is a capacity for matters to go wrong if the appropriate standards do not apply at the laboratory to which the samples are sent.