External quality assessment in therapeutic drug monitoring: an Italian experience

Pharmacontrol is an external quality assessment (EQA) for therapeutic drug monitoring initiated in Italy in 1986 on regional basis. Since then, interest and involvement being on a national level, participation has expanded to some 180 laboratories currently. The EQA concerns assays for the drugs most frequently monitored in Italy (seven drugs until 1989, 13 at present). The results obtained in 1989, reported in this paper, indicate a generally satisfactory level of both precision and accuracy.