The private laboratories manufacturing veterinary diagnostics members of Diagnosticsforanimals wished to write recommendations for public laboratories and specially WOAH reference laboratory which promote and market their own diagnostics to respect fair rules of commercial competition.
These recommendations were unanimously adopted by the Board of Diagnosticsforanimals in January 2021.
Members of Diagnosticsforanimals are encouraged to do the promotion of those recommendations.
Diagnosticsforanimals is also committed to make a similar promotion vis a vis the publics authorities.
5 Recommendations:
Obligation to assess:
- Obligation for a public WOAH reference laboratory to assess any test request, even when there is an existing offer from the laboratory itself.
Separation of administrative activities from commercial activities
2. Obligation to separate reagent assessment and control activities on one hand, from the business activities on the other hand. This means: For the offering: no public funds for commercial test production For marketing: separate commercial entities, financially independent, from the assessment activity
Absence of interference in the private sector
3. Non-intervention in the private sphere when the private offer is sufficient and of quality.
No exploitation of public status for commercial activities
4. Prohibition on the use of public events to intervene as WOAH agent to promote their reagents.
No exploitation of public funds for commercial activities
5. Prohibition on using WOAH funds to promote their reagents (particularly in emerging countries)
Paris, March 22nd 2021
