Objective Molecular Diagnostics are available for Clinical Chemistry and Medical Genetic laboratories and international regulatory organisms have already developed guidelines, recommendations and External quality assurance (EQA) programmes to safeguard their quality. But up today EQA programs for specific DNA targets remain limited to a few tests. Moreover these regulatory organisms are concerned about the possibility to keep up with new EQA programmes addressed to the expected growth rate of new diagnostic tests. EQA programmes directed to the evaluation of the analytical aspects common to the majority of the molecular diagnostics can be proposed and these methodological EQA programmes may be valuable with the existing EQA programmes or in absence of them. 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.' Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencenatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA Programme(s) FP6-LIFESCIHEALTH - Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health: Thematic Priority 1 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) LSH-2002-3-5 - Realising ERA objectives Call for proposal FP6-2002-LIFESCIHEALTH See other projects for this call Funding Scheme SSA - Specific Support Action Coordinator UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE EU contribution No data Address Via Santa Maria 3 FIRENZE Italy See on map Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all STICHTING EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES CONFEDERATION OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Haakakker 12 MIERLO See on map Total cost No data RUPRECHT-KARLS-UNIVERSITAET HEIDELBERG Germany EU contribution No data Address Seminarstrasse 2 HEIDELBERG See on map Total cost No data SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH Belgium EU contribution No data Address Rue Juliette Wytsman 14 BRUXELLES See on map Total cost No data ZIEKENHUISGROEP TWENTE Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Zilvermeeuw 1 ALMELO See on map Total cost No data UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT SERVICE (UKNEQAS) United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address The Manor House, 260 Ecclesall Road South SHEFFIELD See on map Total cost No data ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITA Italy EU contribution No data Address Viale Regina Elena 299 ROMA See on map Total cost No data UNIVERZITA KARLOVA V PRAZE Czechia EU contribution No data Address Ovocny trh 5 PRAHA 1 See on map Total cost No data