WADA Executive Committee approves Panama Laboratory to conduct blood analyses in support of the Athlete Biological Passport

The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) announced today that its Executive Committee (ExCo) voted to approve the Laboratorio Clinico Genetix (Laboratory), located in Panama City, Panama, to exclusively conduct blood analyses in support of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

Following the review process led by the WADA Science Department and the WADA Laboratory Expert Advisory Group, it was determined that the Laboratory had successfully completed the various technical and administrative steps of the WADA ABP approval process as established in the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL).

WADA Director General, Olivier Niggli, said: “WADA is pleased to count the Laboratorio Clinico Genetix among its approved ABP laboratories. It was important to increase the analytical testing capacity for the hematological module of the ABP in the Central, Caribbean, and South American regions. The addition of another ABP laboratory will serve to provide another integral testing resource in this part of the world. The national and regional anti-doping organizations in the region are now better equipped to test athletes based in these regions.”

The Laboratory has arranged for import permits with the National Customs Directorate of Panama and COPA Airline courier services (based in Panama and serving as a regional transportation hub) to facilitate the transport of blood samples within the region. The Laboratory maintains that quick transportation of samples from different countries within the region to its facility will be possible while complying with the specific time and temperature requirements required for the ABP analyses.

Click here to see the full list of WADA-approved Laboratories.