EQUAL
EQUAL Project Presentation
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Contract no.: 504842 Project acronym:EQUAL Project full title: Multi-National External Quality Assay (EQA) programmes in Clinical Molecular Diagnostics based on Performance and Interpretation of PCR assay methods including dissemination and training SIXTH FRAMEWORK Programme Priority Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health Topic Reference: LSH-2002-0.0.0-1 Starting date: Jan 1, 2004 Commission funding EUR 739,000.00 |
| List of Participants | ||
| Prof. M. Pazzagli | Department of Clinical Physiopathology University of Florence, Italy |
www.dfc.unifi.it |
| Dr. R. Jansen | European Communities Confederation of
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) Geldrop, The Netherlands |
www.ec-4.org |
| Prof. M. Neumaier | Faculty for Clinical Medicine, University
Hospital Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Germany |
www.ma.uni-heidelberg.de/inst/ikc |
| Prof. J.C. Libeer | Scientific Institute of Public Health,
Clinical Biology Department Brussels, Belgium |
www.eqalm.org |
| A. Martens, MD | ZiekenhuisGroep Twente Almelo, The Netherlands |
www.zgt.nl |
| Dr. S. Ramsden | UKNEQAS for Molecular Genetics Manchester, UK |
www.ukneqas-molgen.org.uk |
| Dr. D. Taruscio | Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy |
www.iss.it |
| Prof. V. Palicka | Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and
Diagnostics Medical Faculty and Teaching Hospital Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic |
www.fnhk.cz |
Summary
Molecular biology
based technologies and Genomic studies have opened new perspectives in diagnosis,
prognosis and treatment of Clinical Medicine.
Molecular Diagnostics are now available for the Clinical Chemistry and Medical
Genetic laboratories but the level of standardisation of these tests in terms
of instrumentation, reagents and procedures is, at the moment, lower than
the usual Laboratory Medicine tests.
External quality assurance (EQA) programmes for molecular diagnostics have been developed in order to safeguard quality of these assays, but up till now EQA programs addressed to specific DNA/RNA targets remain limited to a few tests.
The Partners of the Project, Coordinators of EQA programmes of molecular diagnostics already implemented at national or international level, propose a panel of EQA programmes on Performance and Interpretation of PCR based assay methods.
These methodological EQA programmes will be available to laboratories performing Molecular Diagnostics on a voluntary basis for monitoring performances of technical procedures common to most of these methods. Specifically developed questionnaires and procedures of data analysis will be implemented for monitoring efficacy and appreciation of these EQA programmes.Diffusion of these EQA programmes to other countries will be supported through international organisms of the area of Laboratory Medicine, such as EC4.
Finally specific training courses will be organised by the partners for the
participants of this survey in order to improve both technical and interpretation
skills required for the correct use of these molecular diagnostic tests.
It is expected that integration between EQA programmes addressed to methodological
aspects and to specific analytes, with appropriate international training
activities will improve the quality of molecular diagnostics.
| Coordinator, contact, details Prof. Mario Pazzagli, EurClinChem Clinical Biochemistry Unit Department of Clinical Physiopathology University of Florence Viale Pieraccini 6 50139 Florence Italy Phone +39/055/4271442 Fax +39/055/4271413 e-mail: equal@unifi.it |
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