What is the purpose of chain of custody in GLP?

• A. To monitor chain reactions in assays.
• B. To track the funding chain for the study.
• C. To provide a documented, traceable history of the test article from receipt through disposition.
• D. To document personnel shift schedules.

Answer: (C)

Chain of custody in GLP is about maintaining a documented, traceable history of the test article from receipt through disposition. This means every step—who received the item, where it was stored, any transfers between people or locations, dates and times, and the final disposition or destruction—must be recorded with unique identifiers. This creates an auditable trail so the sample’s integrity is preserved and data can be tied back to the exact item used in the study. It helps prevent mix-ups, loss, contamination, or tampering and supports regulatory inspections and data integrity.

The other options describe things not related to the item’s custody: monitoring reactions in assays describes experimental results, tracking funding is about financial controls, and documenting personnel shift schedules is about staffing. These do not establish the control and traceability of the test article that chain of custody provides.