Honduras: ICITAP-Supported Center of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences Receives Outstanding Results from ANAB Accreditation Visit

From November 27 to 29, 2023 the Center of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Honduras completed a reassessment of two forensic disciplines and accreditation of four forensic disciplines, including Forensic Biology, DNA, Toxicology, Ballistics, Toolmarks, and Seized Drugs, with the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The units were assessed under the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and demonstrated conformity with 178 requirements and zero non-conformities. The assessment team from ANAB included five subject matter assessors with forensic experience from Mexico, Costa Rica, and the U.S. ICITAP has been working with the laboratory since 2019 to develop technical capacity, establish their quality management system, and prepare for this accreditation assessment. These outstanding results will allow the laboratory to receive a certificate of accreditation in the next month for all of the forensic disciplines listed. Accreditation and reaccreditation provide confidence in a forensic laboratory’s operation by enabling the demonstration of competence, impartiality, quality control, continuous improvement, and consistent operation through conformance to internationally recognized standards and corresponding requirements. ICITAP works in Central America in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).