Date: January 30, 2026
The AAFS Standards Board put the second edition of ANSI/ASB Standard 036, Standard for Test Method Selection, Development, Validation, and Verification in Forensic Toxicology, out for public comment, with the deadline extended to February 2, 2026. The companion guideline ASB G 236, Guideline for Conducting Test Method Development, Validation, and Verification in Forensic Toxicology, is open on the same schedule. Standard 036 is the document forensic toxicology labs are assessed against for method validation under ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
What it means for calibration
Standard 036 is where the calibration model, the weighting and the acceptance at each level are set for quantitative toxicology. Labs should read the second edition against their validation SOPs now, because once it is published the accrediting body will assess to it. Any requirement that each calibrator be back-calculated within a stated tolerance, and that the lowest calibrator anchor the reportable range, is a requirement to keep the full calibration record for every batch.
Source: aafs.org, ASB Newsletter, January 30, 2026
Part of the WLTR Standards Hub. This is a plain-language summary, not regulatory advice. Confirm requirements with your accrediting body or regulator. Questions or a different read on this change? Leave a comment below.