Guidance for rapid response mobile laboratory (‎RRML)‎ classification (2021)

2021, vi + 33 pages
ISBN 978 92 890 5492 8
This publication is only available online.

Rapid response mobile laboratories (RRMLs) play a crucial role in rapidly responding to and monitoring emergency events and outbreaks within and beyond the WHO European Region.

This publication presents a classification system for RRMLs when used in biological events, and the potential deployment and use of RRMLs to cover outbreak detection and response, natural or man-made disasters, and preparedness for mass-gathering events. This classification covers five levels of RRML capacities: Type I (highly compact), Type II (box-based), Type III (medium-scale), Type IV (large-scale) and Type V (fullscale).

The classification has three layers that establish the basic requirements and features common to all RRML types, define RRML capacity and throughput, and ensure the flexibility, interoperability and scalability of the response. Implementation of this classification will enable RRMLs to function optimally in the field, increase their interoperability with other rapid response capacities and be used as the foundation for standards development across all five types of RRMLs.