DIAGNOSTIC ALLERGY LABORATORY EXTERNAL PROFICIENCY TESTING IN EUROPE

As with all diagnostic laboratory testing, some form of external profi ciency testing is required both for the laboratory undertaking the tes ting and for the safety of the requesting clinician and his patient. A llergen Specific immunoglobulin E antibody testing in serum can produc e different results depending on the method. Originally External Quali ty Assessment schemes in Europe were run on a National basis but 5 yea rs ago a cooperation scheme was adopted whereby each National scheme a dopted common serum pools for distribution, common distribution dates, and a common report format. The EUROEQAS circulates a common report t o each of the participants throughout Europe. This article describes t he organization of such a scheme and the results produced over the pas t 12 months. (C) 1997 Academic Press.