Summary:
Communication is focused to information on the international comparisons of DNA/RNA tests, used mainly in
diagnostic processes of clinical bacteriology, virology and epidemiology.
Quality assurance of DNA/RNA analyses and proficiency testing of laboratories performed these tests are the
purpose of these comparisons. We briefly characterise three kinds of such comparison programs. The Czech
programme is too small not only for using few tests but also for participation of very small number of laboratories.
Simplicity of this program is combined with big complication of its organisation – typical situation for Czech
republic. As the program focused to qualitative classification of some important part of human genome we can
characterise the interlaboratory comparison provided by German Society For Clinical Chemistry. Large number
of participants and very simple but effective and clear display of comparison resultswe can consider as its main
advantage. The most sofisticated way of interlaboratory comparison in DNA/RNA analysis is realised as QCMD
program by European Society of Clinical Virology, Clinical Microbiology and Clinical Epidemiology. This
program uses not only qualitative but also quantitative acceptance limits for assessment of results. The results
of tests provide information not only on the acceptance of results the participant laboratory, but also about limit
of detection values and a lot of very valuable information describes recent situation in methodology, equipment
etc.QCMD system is a possible beginning of the processes in quality management and accreditation in DNA/RNA
analyses.
Key words:
DNA/RNA analysis, interlaboratory comparison, molecular diagnostics.
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