Laboratory accreditation standards (for example ISO 17025, ISO15189) mandate that laboratories should participate in EQA schemes (where they exist). If no EQA scheme is available, then the standards require laboratories to participate in interlaboratory comparisons or sample exchanges.
What are ILCs?
Interlaboratory comparisons (or sample exchanges) between laboratories are a method of monitoring laboratory performance which are suitable for accreditation purposes in certain defined circumstances, for example tests on very rare diseases where there are a small number of laboratories perform testing, and there are no EQA schemes available.
EMQN support for ILC
EMQN will provide support for Interlaboratory Comparisons (ILCs) in accordance with EA-4/21 INF: 2018 Guidelines for the assessment of the appropriateness of small interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) within the process of laboratory accreditation.
EMQN will facilitate the exchange of materials between laboratories for the ILC, including assessment of the genotyping results, and will provide a report summarising the results for the ILC. For more information, please see HERE.