Inter-Laboratory Comparisons and EQA in the Mediterranean Area

The role of Proficiency Testing schemes (PT) or External Quality Control programs (EQA), involves the use of inter-laboratory comparisons for the determination of laboratory performance. EQA-PT schemes are of primordial importance to the analytical quality, standardization of methods and harmonization of the results. Laboratories are familiar with EQA-PT schemes as they are a prerequisite for their accreditation according to the ISO/IEC 15189 standard. The IFCC Committee on Proficiency Testing (C-PT) conducted a survey among the colleagues of the Mediterranean countries in order to evaluate the status of the EQA-PT providers in the region, their acceptance among laboratories, and possible issues in their implementation. The survey was organized electronically and we received 59 replies from colleagues (IFCC National Representatives and affiliated EQA-PT providers), from 17 of the 23 countries (74%) of the Mediterranean area. We concluded that there is a broad difference in the application of the rules of External Quality Control programs or Proficiency Testing schemes, among the Laboratories in the Mediterranean countries. Moreover, as the Accreditation of the Laboratories is not mandatory in the majority of these countries, there is no valid reason for participation in EQA-PT schemes.