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    Regional Laboratory Network

    1. State the objectives and funding of each programme and summarize the principal research and development activities conducted in the programme. Areas to be addressed shall include: prophylaxis, studies on pathogenicity and virulence, diagnostic techniques, aerobiology, detection, treatment, toxinology, physical protection, decontamination and other related research.

    The objective is the establishment and maintenance of capability and capacity for the rapid laboratory-based identification of pathogens in case of a biological emergency, whether it be of natural or accidental origin or due to deliberate release. This forms the basis for any adequate countermeasures that need to be planned and implemented to ensure the protection of the population. The consequent integration of state of the art detection and diagnostic techniques as well as their constant refinement and improvement is therefore indispensable for a holistic biological emergency concept.

    The implemented structure is a decentralized network of Regional Competence Centers and National Reference Centers, all of which have been mandated by the Federal Office of Public Health. This network benefits from already existing infrastructure. The network is embedded in the Swiss CBRN concept and is coordinated by the Regional Laboratory Coordination Committee that consists of federal, cantonal and scientific experts. There is a total of three National Reference Centers and six Regional Competence Centers called Regional Laboratories. The task for Regional Laboratories is the rapid identification of pathogens, whereas National Reference Centers are qualified for confirmatory analysis. All facilities pursue civil duties and are put on assignments of the Regional Laboratory Network in the event of biological emergencies only. All cantons are part of the network either as a host canton of a Regional Laboratory (bold) or as an affiliated canton:

    Regional Laboratory West: FR, GE, NE, VD, VS
    Regional Laboratory West Central: BE, JU
    Regional Laboratory East Central: LU, NW, OW, SZ, UR
    Regional Laboratory East: AI, AR, GL, GR, SG, SH, TG, ZG, ZH  (+ FL)
    Regional Laboratory North: AG, BL, BS, SO
    Regional Laboratory South: TI

    Of note, the two cantons of Genève (GE) and Vaud (VD) share the authority over the Regional Laboratory West. The Principality of Liechtenstein (FL) participates in the Regional Laboratory East. For an explanation of abbreviations, please refer to the comprehensive map presented in paragraph 6.

    The network consists of the following facilities that are described in Form A, part 2 (iii) in more detail:

    Function
    NRC


    RL West


    RL West Central
    RL East Central
    RL East

    RL North
    RL South

    Authority
    GDK


    Canton of Genève

    Canton of Vaud
    Canton of Bern
    Canton of Luzern
    Canton of Zürich

    Canton of Basel-Stadt
    Canton of Ticino

    Facility
    Labor Spiez
    Centre National de Référence pour les Infections Virales Emergentes
    Institut für Virologie und Immunologie
    Laboratoire de Bactériologie
    Centre National de Référence pour les Infections Virales Emergentes
    Laboratoires de Diagnostic de l’Institut de Microbiologie
    Labor Spiez
    Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Luzerner Kantonsspital
    Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie
    Institut für Medizinische Virologie
    Kantonales Laboratorium Basel-Stadt
    Istituto Microbiologia

    Abbreviations:
    NRC: National Reference Center
    RL: Regional Laboratory
    GDK: Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Public Health

    Information on the Regional Laboratory Network can also be found online (website in French):
    https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/fr/home/krankheiten/infektionskrankheiten-bekaempfen/labordiagnostik-infektionskrankheiten/regionallabornetzwerk.html

    2. State the total funding for each programme and its source.
    Funding source

    All personnel involved in activities in relation to the Regional Laboratory Network is tasked with other civil duties. Many of these other activities, such as development of related methods, sample preparation and processing, training, etc., although at least indirectly of benefit to the activities in relation to the Regional Laboratory Network, remain unaccounted for and are not singled out as being of such nature. Furthermore, the whole network relies on existing infrastructures in use for other civil purposes. Due to these facts it is not possible to sort out personnel costs, cost of materials and consumables, as well as dedicated infrastructure costs for the program, however, it is possible to name the funding sources as follows:

    • Swiss Confederation, Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA
    • All twenty-six cantons of Switzerland
    • Principality of Liechtenstein
    Total Funding Amount
    N/A
    Funding Currency
    N/A
    3. Are aspects of these programmes conducted under contract with industry, academic institutions, or in other non-defence facilities?
    no
    4. If yes, what proportion of the total funds for each programme is expended in these contracted or other facilities?
    N/A
    5. Summarize the objectives and research areas of each programme performed by contractors and in other facilities with the funds identified under paragraph 4.
    N/A
    6. Provide a diagram of the organizational structure of each programme and the reporting relationships (include individual facilities participating in the programme).

     

     

    Diagram Upload
    N/A
    7. Provide a declaration in accordance with Form A, part 2 (iii) for each facility, both governmental and non-governmental, which has a substantial proportion of its resources devoted to each national biological defence research and development programme, within the territory of the reporting State, or under its jurisdiction or control anywhere.

    Please refer to Form A, part 2 (iii).

    Attachments
    N/A

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