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EQA

Information about our EQA schemes

External Quality Assessment (EQA) or Proficiency testing is the comparison of the performance of a laboratory against an agreed independent standard. EMQN organises EQA schemes for molecular genetics. As most molecular genetic tests are qualitative, this imposes some important differences in approach from EQA in other clinical pathology disciplines where quantitative analyses predominated.

Participation in the EMQN external quality assessment (EQA) schemes is on a voluntary, confidential basis. All laboratories are actively encouraged to participate in all relevant schemes. Membership of the EQA schemes is open also to commercial manufacturers of relevant instruments and reagents, and to pharmaceutical, veterinary and other laboratories. Participating laboratories are identified by a code known only to the EMQN scheme organiser and other key EMQN staff.

Participation in our EQA schemes

To participate in our EQA schemes you need to be a registered member of the network. Registered members of the network have full access to our EQA schemes. A fee of 275€ (242.00 GBP) per scheme is payable to participate. There is now an extra fee applied for late registration (after the 30th June 2010). We will still allow registrations after this date (upto the closing date of the 26th July 2010) but the cost willl increase from 275€ to 300€ (264.00 GBP) per scheme. EARLY REGISTRATION (BEFORE 30TH JUNE 2010) WILL SAVE YOU MONEY!  Registration to participate can only be done through this website.

Scheme catalogue (2010)

We have published a scheme catalogue which shows all the EQA schemes we will be running in 2010. Click below to download a copy.

» 2010 EQA scheme catalogue – PDF-File, 815.7 KB


Features of our EQA schemes

  • Our schemes are confidential - only the scheme organiser will know who the laboratories are.
  • For administrative reasons, the schemes may need to limit the number of centres who can join.
  • for pilot schemes, the EMQN national partner relevant to the country will decide the laboratories participating (usually one per country). Click here to find your National Partner.
  • A panel of experts will check the results and issue a report on each EQA scheme.
  • Each participating centre will recieve a report on their individual performance and a certificate if they score full marks in the genoptyping part of the scheme

Reduced fees scheme

  • This scheme is to encourage participation in External Quality Assessment by laboratories in developing countries.
  • If you think that your laboratory may be eligible for reduced fees please contact the EMQN administrator by email stating your case for a reduction in fees.
  • If agreed by the EMQN management group;
    • No fee will be payable for 3 years for EQA schemes,
    • The minimum 50€ (45.00 GBP) fee for registering with EMQN is payable,
    • Laboratories will be asked to committ to participate for 3 consecutive years,
    • In the 4th year fees will be payable.
  • Who is eligible?
    • Laboratories from developing countries as agreed by the EMQN management group.
    • Commercial laboratories are not eligible.
    • Other applications will be considered on merit.
    • Further information is available from your national partner.

Example reports

Some examples of good reports selected from the 2007 scheme returns can be found in the EMQN customer user accounts. These reports all contain elements for good report according to the reporting guidelines of Swiss Society of Medical Genetics (http://www.sgmg.ch). These are briefly:

  • Report is one page long
  • Report has a clear take home message
  • Mutations and polymorphisms are clearly in separate areas to avoid danger of confusion
  • Report contains at least two unique patient identifiers
  • Report is signed by two people





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