CLSI Susceptibility Testing Subcommittees and Resources

The AST Subcommittee provides useful information to laboratories, enabling them to advise clinicians in the selection of appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

Volunteers for the AST Subcommittee come from microbiology laboratories, government agencies, and pharmaceutical and diagnostic microbiology industries. Together, they focus on the following key elements:

• Developing standard reference methods for antimicrobial susceptibility tests
• Providing quality control parameters for standard test methods
• Establishing interpretive criteria for results of standard antimicrobial susceptibility tests
• Providing suggestions for testing and reporting strategies that are clinically relevant and cost-effective
• Continually refining standards and guidelines, thereby optimizing the detection of emerging resistance
• Educating users through multimedia communication of standards and guidelines
• Fostering a dialogue with users of these methods and those who apply them

As a result, the interests of the professions, government, and industry remain balanced and aimed at a single common interest—quality medical testing.