Proficiency testing International Harmonised Protocol

ISO/IUPAC/AOAC International Harmonised Protocol For Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories... 

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY, The International Harmonised Protocol for the Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories, ed. Thompson M and Wood R, Pure Appl. Chem., 1993 65 2123-2144 (also published in J. AOAC International, 1993 76 926-940). 

Thompson M and Wood R, 1993, The International harmonised protocol for the proficiency testing of (chemical) analytical laboratories. Pure and Applied Chem. 65,2123-2144. 

It is a study, which focuses on the performance of the laboratory and of the analyst. Several examples of such studies are described in literature [42,43]. It helps participants to compare their performance and their method to the performance of other laboratories and/or to an assigned value [44,45]. Repetitive laboratory performance studies to evaluate if laboratories are able to fulfil a given task are often called proficiency testing schemes. First guidelines have been set under the ISO Guide 43 [46]. In 1993, lUPAC has published an international harmonised protocol for the proficiency testing of (chemical) analytical laboratories [3] which sets the basic criteria for the organisation of laboratory performance studies. 

ISO, IUPAC and AOAC INTERNATIONAL have co-operated to produce agreed protocols on the Design, Conduct and Interpretation of Collaborative Studies 14 and on the Proficiency Testing of [Chemical] Analytical Laboratories .11 The Working Group that produced these protocols has prepared a further protocol on the internal quality control of data produced in analytical laboratories. The document was finalised in 1994 and published in 1995 as the Harmonised Guidelines For Internal Quality Control In Analytical Chemistry Laboratories .12 The use of the procedures outlined in the Protocol should aid compliance with the accreditation requirements specified above. 

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