Okla. Admin. Code § 442:10-8-6.4

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 442:10-8-6.4 - Laboratory standardization recommendations for laboratory quality assurance and quality control

(a)Laboratory standardization recommendations. Beginning June 1, 2024, medical marijuana testing laboratories renewing their medical marijuana business license shall be subject to and comply with the following rules relating to the testing of medical marijuana, medical marijuana concentrate, and medical marijuana products. The refusal or failure of a medical marijuana testing laboratory licensee to comply with these rules relating to laboratory standards and testing procedures shall result in the permanent revocation of the medical marijuana testing laboratory license.

(b)Laboratory Quality Assurance (LQA) program. The medical laboratory director shall develop and implement an LQA program to ensure the reliability and validity of the analytical data produced by the laboratory.

(1) The LQA program shall, at minimum, include a written LQA manual that addresses the following:

(A) Quality control procedures, including remedial actions;

(B) Laboratory organization and employee training and responsibilities;

(C) LQA criteria for acceptable performance;

(D) Traceability of data and analytical results;

(E) Instrument maintenance, calibration procedures, and frequency;

(F) Performance and system audits;

(G) Steps to change processes when necessary;

(H) Record retention;

(I) Test procedure standardization; and

(J) Method validation, including, but not limited to, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, cross-over, Limit of Detection (LOD), Limit of Quantitation (LOQ), linearity, and measurement of uncertainty. For chromatographic methods, accuracy measurements must include statistical determination of an acceptable retention time window for identification of an analyte;

(K) Method verification of all externally validated methods, including but not limited to the laboratory's ability to achieve the validated method's performance criteria, analyst demonstration of competency, and a passing score for sample proficiency testing in an appropriate matrix;

(L) Any material alteration of a validated method, whether developed externally or internally, causes the method to become a laboratory developed method and subject to full validation;

(M) Validation or verification of a method following non-routine maintenance, repair of an instrument, or relocation of an analytical piece of equipment.

(2) The laboratory director shall annually review, amend if necessary, and approve the LQA program and manual when:

(A) The LQA program and manual are created; and

(B) There is a change in methods, laboratory equipment, or the supervisory or management laboratory employee overseeing the LQA program.

(c)Laboratory quality control samples.

(1) The laboratory shall use laboratory quality control (LQC) samples in the performance of each analysis as required by OAC 442:10-8-1(i).

(2) The laboratory shall analyze LQC samples in the same manner as the laboratory analyzes samples of medical marijuana and medical marijuana products.

(3) If the result of the analyses is outside the specified acceptance criteria in OAC 442:10-8-1(i), the laboratory shall determine the cause and take steps to remedy the problem until the result is within the specified acceptance criteria. Samples after the last acceptable run must be re-tested.

(4) The laboratory shall generate a LQC sample report for each analytical run that includes LQC parameters, measurements, analysis date, and matrix. The results must fall within the criteria set forth in OAC 442:10-8-1(i).

(d)Reagents, solutions, and reference standards.

(1) Reagents, solutions, and reference standards shall be:

(A) Secured in accordance with the laboratory's storage policies; labeled to indicate identity of the reagent, identity of the preparer, date received or prepared, and expiration or requalification date; and labeled with, where applicable, concentration or purity, storage requirements, lot tracking number, and date opened;

(B) Stored under appropriate conditions to minimize degradation or deterioration of the material; and

(C) Used only within the item's expiration or requalification date.

(2) Deteriorated or outdated reagents and solutions shall be properly disposed of, in compliance with all federal, state and local regulations.

(3) The laboratory may acquire commercial reference standards for cannabinoids and other chemicals or contaminants, for the exclusive purpose of conducting testing for which the laboratory is approved. The laboratory may elect to produce reference standards in-house (internally). When internally produced, the laboratory shall utilize standard analytical techniques to document the purity and concentration of the internally produced reference standards. The laboratory is authorized to obtain marijuana or marijuana-derived product from a licensed non-profit producer for this purpose.

(4) The laboratory shall obtain or, for internally-produced standards, shall create a certificate of analysis (COA) for each lot of reference standard. Each COA shall be kept on-file and the lot number of the reference standard used shall be recorded in the documentation for each analysis, as applicable.

Okla. Admin. Code § 442:10-8-6.4

Adopted by Oklahoma Register, Volume 41, Issue 3, October 16, 2023, eff. 9/11/2023, exp. 9/14/2024 (Emergency)

The adopted version of this section by Oklahoma Register, Volume 41, Issue 21, July 15, 2024, eff. 7/25/2024 is not yet available.