Validation of target values in external quality assessment schemes for peptide hormones and tumour markers

Consensus means are tacitly assumed to provide correct target values in many external quality assessment schemes EQAS for peptide hormones and tumour markers. We suggest, however, that such targets should not be used without some evidence of their validity. Comparison of the expected and found increments in the target value on adding known quantities of International Standards to serum pools can provide confirmation of the correctness of target values or, in some cases, identify clearly incorrect targets. Validation of targets is important if EQAS are to stimulate use of correctly calibrated assays, rather than those that simply agree with the most commonly used method(s).