Public Health Laboratories
The Public Health Laboratories are responsible for protecting the public's health in NH through responsive, unbiased, quality laboratory testing.
The mission of the Public Health Laboratories (PHL) is to protect the public's health in NH through responsive, unbiased, quality laboratory testing; to actively participate in national and international surveillance networks; and to improve the quality of health and laboratory services in both the public and private sector.
PHL fulfills its mission through these four core functions:
Laboratory Response for Critical Incidents
- Disease outbreaks
- Newly emergent diseases
- Product contamination and/or tampering
- Terrorism response
Laboratory Analysis for Food Safety Assurance
- Microbiological testing of dairy products, shellfish and growing waters, and other food products
- Paralytic shellfish poison (Red Tide) testing
- Testing for lead and other metals in maple syrup, fish and other food products
- Testing for mercury in fish
Laboratory Services for Infectious Disease Control
- Tuberculosis testing
- Sexually Transmitted Disease testing
- Vaccine Preventable Disease testing
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus screening, confirmation and viral load
- Bacterial, parasitic, and viral identification
- Drug susceptibility testing
- Rabies testing
Quality Assurance Leadership
- Reference lab services for hospital and independent labs in NH
- Training, internships and technology transfer for laboratorians
- Laboratory tours, demonstrations, science fairs and lectures
- Coordination of NH Laboratory Response Network
- The PHL has federal oversight by CLIA, TNI, FDA, USDA, and ISO
NH PHL CLIA Certificate 2023-2025