Encouraging better use of tests

Surveys of Practice and Interpretative Exercises carried out through the schemes help to encourage best practice. In addition the Edinburgh centre is also involved in several national initiatives including Pathology Harmony, sub-groups of the UK National Screening Committee (Foetal Anomaly Screening and Prostate Cancer Decision Limits). Internationally, centre staff are active members of the European Group on Tumor Markers (EGTM) and the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (NACB) Laboratory Medicine Practice Guideline Committees on Tumour Markers and hCG.

Standardisation

The Edinburgh centre is closely involved in a number of international standardisation projects, currently including those coordinated by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Scientific Division Working Groups for Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) and Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A).

EQA of new biomarkers

The Edinburgh centre contributes to the work of a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) biomarker programme which is developing a structure and methods to assess clinical usefulness of new biomarkers as quickly and efficiently as possible.