DO-2020-0820

• National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) were established through Department Order No. 393-E s. 2000 to improve the quality of health services and establish an effective public health laboratory network in the country in line with the Service Delivery Network pillar of FOURmula 1 Plus towards the attainment of Universal Health Care goals

  
• Hospitals designated as NRLs

  • East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC)
  • Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP)
  • National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI)
  • Philippine Heart Center (PHC)
  • Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)
  • San Lazaro Hospital (SLH)

  
• Administrative Order No. 0021 s. 2012, otherwise known as the "National Framework of the National Health Laboratory Network," provides the framework for the organization of all government and private laboratories at all levels into a functional National Health Laboratory Network (NHLN), in order to define the road map and direction for strengthening and promoting the institutional and operational capabilities of the health laboratories

  
• The NRL is recognized to provide technical leadership in the related field and is considered to be the highest level laboratory amongst various laboratory levels in the Philippines
• National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)

  The highest level of laboratory in the country performing high complex procedures including confirmatory testing that is not commonly performed by the lower level of laboratory. It is the responsible entity for facilitating National External Quality Assessment Scheme (NEQAS) to ensure compliance of quality standards for regulation and licensing of all laboratories in the Philippines

  
• National External Quality Assessment Scheme (NEQAS)

  A quality assurance activity conducted by the NRLs to assess the quality of performance and accuracy of test results of laboratories. It is used as a requirement of laboratories for the renewal of license to operate
• In-Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device (IVDMD)


  Any reagent, reagent product, calibrator, control material, kit, instrument, apparatus, equipment or system, whether used alone or in combination, intended by the manufacturer to be used in vitro for the examination of specimens, including blood and tissue donation, derived from the human body, solely or principally for the purpose of providing information on: 1) physiological or pathological state; 2) congenital abnormality; 3) safety and compatibility of donations, including blood and tissue donations, with potential recipients; or 4) therapeutic measures, and includes a specimen receptacle but not a product for general laboratory use, unless that product, in view of its characteristics, is specifically intended by its product owner to be used for in vitro diagnostic examination
• The DOH shall provide standards in ensuring quality laboratory services to guide laboratory testing procedures in all levels of care
• NRLs shall provide improved access to quality, specialized health laboratory services in their respective areas of technical expertise, to cater to the needs of and which is not otherwise available in other tertiary category health laboratory facilities

  
• NRLs shall be strengthened in order to provide support to the sub-national, regional, public health laboratories, and referral networks of health laboratory facilities based on service mandates

  
• Department Order 393-E s.2000 dated November 14, 2000 entitled "Designation of National Reference Laboratories and Transfer of Corresponding Equipment, Instruments, Supplies, Specimens, Records from the Bureau of Research Laboratories to the Designated National Reference Laboratories"; Department Personnel Order 2009-5148 dated December 21, 2009 entitled "Amendment to Department Order 393-E s. 2000 dated November 14, 2000 Regarding Designation of National Reference Laboratories and Transfer of Corresponding Equipment, Instruments, Supplies, Specimens, Records from the Bureau of Research Laboratories to the Designated National Reference Laboratories" are hereby repealed or rescinded accordingly

  
• All other provisions of the Department Order 2010-0254 entitled "Guidelines for the Use of Revenues Collected and Earned from the Conduct of Activities by the National Reference Laboratories" and its amendment, Department Order 2010-0254-A, which are not affected by this order shall remain valid and in effect

  
• This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after posting in the official gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation
• List of host hospitals with their designated National Reference Laboratories based on technical expertise


  • East Avenue Medical Center: National Reference Laboratory for Environmental & Occupational Health
  • National Reference Laboratory for Toxicology
  • National Reference Laboratory for Micronutrient Assay
  • National Reference Laboratory for Industrial and Chemical Emergencies
  • Lung Center of Philippines: National Reference Laboratory for General Clinical Chemistry
  • National Reference Laboratory for Anatomic Pathology for Pulmonary and Pleural Diseases
  • National Kidney and Transplant Institute: National Reference Laboratory for Hematology
  • National Reference Laboratory for Immunohematology
  • National Reference Laboratory for Urinalysis
  • National Reference Laboratory for Anatomic Pathology for Renal Diseases and other Unassigned Organ Systems
  • National Reference Laboratory for Cellular-Based Product Testing
  • Philippine Heart Center: National Reference Laboratory for Anatomic Pathology for Cardiac Diseases
  • National Reference Laboratory for Cardiac Markers
  • Research Institute for Tropical Medicine: National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance
  • National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory
  • National Reference Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmissible Infections
  • National Reference Laboratory for Dengue and Other Arboviruses
  • National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
  • National Reference Laboratory for Emerging and Re-Emerging Bacterial Diseases
  • National Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis
  • National Reference Laboratory for Special Pathogens
  • National Reference Laboratory for Mosquito Vectors of Human Diseases
  • National Reference Laboratory for Malaria and Other Parasites
  • National Reference Laboratory for Schistosomiasis
  • National Reference Laboratory for Rabies and other Lyssaviruses
  • National Reference Laboratory for Polio and other Enteroviruses
  • National Reference Laboratory for Measles and other Exanthems
  • National Reference Laboratory for Invasive Bacterial Vaccine Preventable Diseases
  • National Reference Laboratory for Rotavirus and other Enteric Viruses
  • National Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Enteric Diseases
  • National Reference Laboratory for Mycology
  • San Lazaro Hospital - STD AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL): National Reference Laboratory for HIV/AIDS
  • National Reference Laboratory for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
  • National Reference Laboratory for Syphilis and Other Sexually-Transmitted Infections