Finland Times

 

The privatisation of laboratory services may lead to a situation where the range of laboratory services related to food safety will be too much based on demand, said the Finnish Food Safety Authority-Evira in a release.

 

As a consequence, competence for the performance of less common analyses in the country may be lost due the competitive tendering of laboratory services.

 

The changes come after the amendments made in the Finnish Local Government Act in 2015 which paves way for privatisation of laboratory services.

 

"Municipal health authorities must have in place a contingency plan for emergencies, based on the Health Protection Act and Food Act. If necessary, Evira will guide local laboratories in conducting studies," said Senior Inspector Taija Rissanen from Evira's Planning and Direction Unit in the release.

 

The effects of privatising municipalities' laboratory services cannot be assessed until a few years later after the viability of the laboratories is evaluated.  

 

According to the Evira report, laboratory services for food safety are mainly well organised. Evira has compiled a report on the availability, sufficiency and use of laboratory services in food safety control carried out by the authorities or the food industry itself.