College of American Pathologists accredits NCH’s Biopathology Center

Biorepositories are highly complex research facilities with expert staff to process, store, characterize and secure biological specimens and their corresponding clinical information. The Biopathology Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the hospital's long-standing biorepository, has received accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, confirming that the biorepository operates to ensure that high-quality biospecimens and related data are available for the purpose of supporting cutting-edge medical research.

The College of American Pathologists is the first in the industry to offer an accreditation program for biorepositories and based the accreditation program on the principles of its Laboratory Accreditation Program, the gold standard in laboratory accreditation. The College of American Pathologists' Biorepository Accreditation Program certifies that accredited biorepositories are in compliance with best practices in tumor and tissue banking.

"The fact that the accreditation comes from the College of American Pathologists elevates biorepository practices to the same high standards to which clinical laboratories are held," said Biopathology Center Director, Nilsa C. Ramirez, MD. "More importantly, it demonstrates to those that the biorepository serves that the collection, cataloging and storage practices follow the highest standards."

A sophisticated, high-quality biobanking effort has existed at Nationwide Children's Hospital since the late 1980s and thanks to the vision of the late Stephen J. Qualman, MD, has become a powerhouse. "Our selection to go through the accreditation process is the result of Nationwide Children's Biopathology Center's twenty-plus-years-experience in cancer pathology and is a reflection of our leadership in the field," said President of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, John A. Barnard, MD.

Nationwide Children's accreditation is in place for three years, after which the Biopathology Center will again need to undergo an onsite inspection, gap assessment and desk review of the biorepository's quality management plan, procedures and quality and process statistics.