Lancet Group of Laboratories

The Lancet Group of Laboratories, also known as Lancet Laboratories, is a private pathology service founded and based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Lancet Group of Laboratories

Company type	Pathology laboratories
Headquarters	Johannesburg , South Africa
Website	Official website

Structure

The Lancet Group of Laboratories is a private pathology service based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It has over 100 reference laboratories and more than 250 branches in over 14 African countries.^[1][2]

Tests provided include PCR and genetic tests for cancers and infectious diseases, histopathology, cytopathology, immunohistochemistry, testing for tuberculosis, microbiology, endocrinology, clinical chemistry, blood clotting, haematology, toxicology and tests relating to occupations.^[3]

South Africa

In 1996 the main laboratory moved to Richmond and could provide services to the Gauteng region.^[3] In 2000 it merged with the Pillay MacIntosh practice in Durban.^[3]

Eftyhia Vardas is the head of virology at the Lancet in Johannesburg.^[4] In November 2021, Alison J. Glass, a clinical virologist at the lab reported that observations made by one of their junior scientists led to the discovery of the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.^[5][6][7] The laboratory sent samples to the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa, of which the Lancet is a part and whose principal investigator, Tulio de Oliveira, confirmed and announced the findings following further investigation.^[7]

East Africa

Its East Africa, laboratories include Pathologists Lancet Kenya Limited, established in 2009.^[8] Others include Lancet Laboratories Uganda Limited and Lancet Laboratories Tanzania Limited.^[9]

West Africa

It has operations in West Africa.^[3]

References

1. "Lancet Zimbabwe is part of a pathology laboratory which is Internationally Accredited". www.lancet.co.zw. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
2. Commonwealth Secretariat (2007). Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2007. London: Henley Media Group. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-9554408-3-0.
3. Dumasi, Manelesi (12 February 2016). "Lancet Laboratories – Pathology Services Without Borders | Enterprise Africa". Enterprise-africa.net. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
4. "Trial of potentially variant-proof vaccine ongoing in Western Cape | Institute Of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine". www.idm.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
5. Antony, Sguazzin (30 November 2021). "How the Omicron strain in SA was traced by a missing gene". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
6. Clarke, Steve Neville and Vivienne (29 November 2021). "Vigilance of junior scientist led to discovery of Omicron variant". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
7. "How S African scientists discovered Omicron; country got raw deal in turn". The Federal. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
8. Pieterse, Jan Nederveen; Lim, Haeran; Khondker, Habibul (10 June 2021). Covid-19 and Governance: Crisis Reveals. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-39529-7.
9. Adan, Abdihamid Daud; Reuben, James Mwikya (September 2020). "Effect of Information Communication Technology Innovation Policy, Training and Skills on Efficiency of Service Delivery in Private Laboratories in Kenya". International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. IV (IX). ISSN 2454-6186.

Further reading

• Viana, Raquel V.; Wallis, Carole L. (2011). "3. Good clinical laboratory practice (GCLP) for molecular based tests used in diagnostic laboratories". In Akyar, Isin (ed.). Wide Spectra of Quality Control. BoD – Books on Demand. pp. 29–52. ISBN 978-953-307-683-6.