Following the recent publication of the TGA instructions for disinfectant testing (version 3.0), disinfectants manufactured in or exported to the Australian market must undergo testing for claims of residual activity on multiple surfaces, to stay compliant.
To help manufacturers and brands of disinfectants get to market quickly, legally, and cost effectively, leading microbiological testing house, MSL Solution Providers, is delighted to launch a new service to meet this updated guidance. This new offer supports companies with all division one and two requirements at its in-house, UKAS accredited laboratories. The expert testing company holds the relevant ISO 17025 accreditation and all the necessary organisms to ensure products are compliant with the contained specifications of the TGA document.
Operating internationally from its UK base, MSL offers a fast and accurate turnaround, effective in the logistics of shipping samples to its laboratory for testing and often matching or beating local suppliers.
Carolyn Burney, MD at MSL Solution Providers, commented: “We are thrilled to extend our expert microbiological testing offer to brands and manufacturers operating in or exporting to the Australian market. The updated guidance in the TGA document means that in some cases, products must be tested on up to 60 surfaces to be compliant – something that we can easily accommodate “under one roof” at our in-house laboratories, all whilst ensuring the highest standards of testing.
“We have customers spread over six continents and numerous time-zones and are frequently complimented by clients, thousands of miles from our UK-based laboratories, on the quick and seamless service we offer.”
The TGA instructions for disinfectant testing (Version 3.0) covers both medical and commercial/domestic products and acts as the regulation for entry to the Australian market. It outlines the requirements in two parts. Part one determines the bacterial efficacy of disinfectants. Part two has two key divisions for disinfectant performance: division one covers the physical and chemical stability of a product and establishes a shelf life for the product, whilst division two gives the testing requirements for microbial efficacy. The claims that are detailed in the document cover anti-bacterial, yeasticidal, fungicidal, sporicidal, mycobactericidal, virucidal and residual effect for liquid products, wipes and fogging devices; for each of these it uses criteria bespoke to the Australian market.
A complete service provider, MSL offers an integrated regulatory and laboratory testing service, helping companies stay compliant with current regulations internationally. As well as the TGA, MSL offers support for the BPR (Biocidal Product Regulation) in the UK and EU and regulations in the USA and Canada. Its expertise includes cleanroom validation (UV and airborne disinfection), safety data sheets, claims substantiation, auditing, and user trials, and it can offer tailored solutions for specific testing needs too. Its in-house accredited microbiology and virology labs provide a comprehensive range of standard tests, including efficacy testing against bacteria, fungi, spores, viruses, mycobacteria, legionella, and algae. The majority of its biocides testing, including virology testing, is accredited by UKAS 4045 to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards.
In 2022, MSL was honoured with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, specifically for its outstanding short-term growth. Just three years ago, it was servicing 25 countries; today, roughly half of its business comes from export sales to approximately 60 countries.