Establishment and History

The Refik Saydam Hygiene Center Presidency is the National Reference Laboratory established in order to conduct basic laboratory services related with production, control and diagnosis for protection of Public Health in our country.

• The Refik Saydam Hygiene Institute was established by the Law no. 1267 issued on 27 May 1928 as an affiliated body of the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Later on, this Law was amended in accordance with the rising needs of the Institution and its responsibilities, duties and activities were redefined by the Law no. 3959 issued on 4 January 1941.
• Finally, the name of the Institution was amended as “Refik Saydam Hygiene Center Presidency” by the Decree Law no. 181 which has been published in the double edition of Official Journal no. 18251 dated 14 December 1983; and the Institution was made an affiliated body of the Ministry of Health. The Institution was reorganized by the Decree Law.
• In the establishment years, there were 4 main service departments: Bacteriology, Chemical Analysis, Pharmacology and Immunology. Furthermore, there was a meteorology station, special conference saloon and a library.
• In order to deal with new health problems, the scope of Institution’s activities has been extended within the framework of below list.
• In 1931, BCG Vaccine, which is applied orally, started to be produced.
• In 1932, import of sera was terminated as a consequence of the fact that sera production reached the required level to meet the country’s need.
• In 1933, production of rabies vaccine was handled by the Simple Method.
• In 1934, Istanbul Vaccine House was translocated to the Institution and production of smallpox vaccine reached the required level to meet the country’s need.
• In 1935, the Department of Pharmacology was founded and thus, control of local and foreign drugs as well as other vital materials was realized.
• In 1936, Public Health School was opened.
• In 1937, rabies serum started to be produced.
• In 1942, typhus vaccine and scorpion serum started to be produced.
• In 1947, Biological Control Laboratory was established. A vaccine station was opened within the Institution. As of this year, intradermal BCG vaccine has started to be produced.
• In 1948, whooping-cough (pertussis) vaccine started to be produced in our country for the first time. During the same year, Departments of Virology and Virus Vaccines have been established and researches have been conducted for the first time on influenza virus, New-Castle virus and Avian influenza.
• In 1950, the Influenza Laboratory was recognized by the World Health Organization as the International Regional Influenza Center and Influenza vaccine started to be produced.
• In 1951, quality control of antibiotics and specific vitamins was realized for the first time.
• In 1954, Drugs Control Department was founded.
• In 1956, tetanus vaccine started to be produced by using more modern methods.
• In 1958, diagnosis of syphilis was handled by modern methods for the first time.
• In 1965, dry smallpox vaccine started to be produced for the first time and systematic serum concentration and purification was realized.
• In 1966, Cholera Reference Laboratory was founded.
• In 1968, Hematology Laboratory and Anti-test Serum Production Laboratory were opened.
• In 1969, Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology were extended as separate departments; Pyrogen Test and Analytical Toxicology Laboratories were put into service.
• In 1970, fybrinogen, albumin and gamma globulin started to be produced.
• In 1973, Laboratory of Pesticide was opened and thus, registration and market controls of insecticide, rodenticide and mollucide as well as their efficiency and survival controls started to be realized.
• In 1974, Mycology Laboratory was opened.
• In 1976, experimental production of dry BCG vaccine was realized.
• In 1979, Toxoplasm-Listeria and ASO, Latex Laboratories began to carry out activities.
• In 1982, Public Health School was joined to our Presidency by the Act no. 1214 dated 26.08.1982.
• In 1983, dry BCG vaccine started to be produced.
• In 1984, Poison Consultancy Center was opened.
• In 1987, AIDS Research and Confirmation Center was opened.
• In 1987, Drugs Control Laboratories were modernized and state-of-the-art technology devices were put into service.
• In 1987, Instrumental Analysis Laboratory was opened.
• In 1987, public housing purchase was realized in order to improve social opportunities of the staff. Kids Club was opened.
• In 1988, Poison Consultancy Center began to work on a 24 hour basis.
• In 1990, reorganization project of the Refik Saydam Hygiene Center Presidency was initiated.
• In 1991, studies were completed for serving of the Public Health School once again.
• In 1991, “The project on improving the quality of the produced vaccines and sera and production depending on export potential along with non-producible vaccines” was drawn up to be realized by the Institution and was included in the capital investment program of the State Planning Organization for the first time.
• In 1992, viral inactivation of blood products was initiated.
• In 1994, potency controls of blood products were initiated in viral aspect.