Keynote Presentation: LIMS for the Cannabis Industry - From Seed to Sale

An essential tool in the modern laboratory, the Laboratory Information Management System is embraced for its utility to acquire and mine simple to complex data. The cannabis laboratories have come to rely on the LIMS to track and manage a given customer sample from the laboratory reception to sample destruction.  The regulatory environment broadens the overall sample management to include traceability of a sample from the time of its cultivation clear through to its customer purchase of a finished product on a dispensary shelf.  Known as “seed to sale”, the life of a cannabis plant or cannabis-derived material is long and circuitous where inconsistent or negligent management that could lead to license revocation.  The LIMS functionality is designed to address specific laboratory needs to ensure the cannabis sample handling has met all laboratory and regulatory accountability requirements, including ISO/IEC 17025.  This presentation will provide a useful overview of the applicability of LIMS in the third party testing laboratory from sample intake to disposal.  Of particular interest will be discussion on the LIMS role in quality control in attestation of the veracity of a test result before it is released to a customer.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify multiple points where LIMS can maintain accountability to ISO/IEC 17025 document control requirements, Quality Control Requirements, and dissemination of data to third part regulatory bodies

2. Understand specific ISO/IEC 17025:2017 clauses that specify requirements for Laboratory Information Management Systems

3. Understand that LIMS is a tool and must be treated appropriately; it does not replace appropriate scientific discussion or interpretation