Good Laboratory Practice (GLP): What It Is and Why It Is Essential

Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) is a set of foundational guidelines for ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of the processes and results produced in a laboratory. Far beyond a mere regulatory requirement, GLP is indispensable for safeguarding data integrity, traceability, and scientific credibility. 

But do you actually know what Good Laboratory Practice is, what it’s for, and how to apply it in your laboratory? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and show how technology, especially a LIMS, can be a powerful ally in complying with these standards. 

What is Good Laboratory Practice? 

According to NIT-DICLA 35 from INMETRO (Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) is a set of organizational and operational principles that ensure the quality, safety, and reliability of tests performed in laboratories. 

These guidelines are primarily aimed at ensuring that results are accurate, complete, traceable, and reliable, while also promoting consistency across laboratory operations. 

It’s worth noting that this standard is aimed mainly at laboratories that conduct non-clinical studies, such as those related to: 

• Environment; 

• Drug safety; 

• Pesticides; 

• Cosmetics; 

• Veterinary products. 

Why is Good Laboratory Practice so important? 

Implementing GLP is not just a regulatory obligation — it’s a strategy for elevating the quality of internal processes. 

By following these guidelines, the laboratory demonstrates commitment to scientific integrity, operational excellence, and compliance with internationally recognized standards. 

Key benefits of GLP include: 

• Increased credibility of results and studies conducted; 

• More systematic, organized, and standardized operations; 

• Reduced errors, failures, and rework; 

• Greater ease in passing inspections and audits. 

Principles of Good Laboratory Practice 

GLP encompasses a series of essential principles that guide the operation of any laboratory pursuing quality and compliance. They are: 

• Laboratory organization: ensures a structured, safe, and efficient physical environment for lab activities. 

• Staff training: ensures all personnel are properly qualified, up to date, and aware of their responsibilities. 

• Documentation: maintains complete, accurate, and traceable records of all processes, ensuring data integrity. 

• Equipment management: includes proper use, periodic maintenance, and calibration of laboratory equipment. 

• Sampling: establishes rigorous criteria for sample collection, handling, preservation, and storage. 

• Quality control: involves implementing procedures that guarantee the reliability and repeatability of results. 

How does the Good Laboratory Practice recognition process work? 

To obtain formal recognition of GLP compliance, a laboratory must undergo an inspection process conducted by a competent regulatory body, such as INMETRO. 

During this audit, several criteria are assessed, including: 

• Physical and organizational structure; 

• Operational and administrative procedures; 

• Cleanliness and organization of the environment; 

• Technical training of staff; 

• Documentation of processes and records; 

• Management of equipment and materials. 

Meeting all of these requirements is essential for earning a good-practices certification and, in turn, strengthening the laboratory’s credibility in the market. 

What risks does Good Laboratory Practice help minimize? 

Adopting GLP is crucial for mitigating operational, environmental, and public health risks. 

These guidelines ensure that products and processes with direct impact on society — such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and pesticides — are developed and tested safely, reliably, and within regulatory standards. 

Key risks minimized by GLP include: 

• Environmental risks; 

• Public health risks; 

• Errors that compromise the validity of studies and reports; 

• Loss of data, samples, and process traceability. 

How does a LIMS help implement Good Laboratory Practice? 

Implementing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is a fundamental strategy for laboratories seeking to adhere to GLP more efficiently and securely. 

This system enables: 

• Automating operational and data management processes; 

• Ensuring full traceability of samples, processes, and results; 

• Reducing manual errors through digitization and information integration; 

• Streamlining report generation, audit trails, and document management; 

• Tracking maintenance, calibration, and equipment usage in a systematic way; 

• Supporting inspections and audits by providing fast, organized access to required information. 

Actiz LIMS is a solution built specifically to meet the needs of laboratories pursuing excellence, quality, and compliance with Good Laboratory Practice. 

Also read: The role of LIMS systems in ensuring quality and GLP compliance 

Learn more about GLP on our YouTube channel 

We’ve put together a video on our YouTube channel about how GLP works, why it matters, and how to apply it in your laboratory. Luisa Coser, Onboarding Coordinator at Actiz, walks through all these points in a practical, hands-on way.  

Ensure lab quality with Good Laboratory Practice and a LIMS 

Following Good Laboratory Practice isn’t just a regulatory requirement — it’s an essential strategy for laboratories that want to ensure quality, safety, reliability, and market relevance. 

And with the support of a LIMS, like Actiz, that journey becomes far faster, more efficient, and more secure. 

Want to know how to implement a LIMS in your laboratory and align with GLP? Talk to our experts!