The practice of clinical chemistry in the European Union

The European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry has been actively engaged in raising the level of clinical chemistry in the European Union. Closer contacts between the national societies for clinical chemistry have resulted in more comparable programs for postgraduate training of clinical chemists, closer similarity of contents and practice of the profession in the different countries, and the official registration of professionals. This article reviews some of the characteristics of professional organisation, practice, and regulation in the fifteen European Union countries. Many similarities appear. In half of the countries microbiology, blood-banking and transfusion medicine fall within the domain of clinical chemistry. The minimum number of years for training (university and postgraduate) is eight, but in practice this will extend to 10 or more years. Official regulation of the profession by law exists in a minority of countries. Continuing education and re-registration have not been officially instituted yet in any country, but these issues will be the next steps forward. In those countries that prepare themselves for entering the European Union, training and practice of clinical chemistry are moving towards the common standards of the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry.