Argote E, Lopez G, Martin Z, Machado F, Pereira R; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1996 Jul 7-12; 11: 279 (abstract no. Th.B.4161).
Laboratorio de Investigaciones del SIDA, Ministerio de Salud, Habana, Cuba. Fax: 537 331682. Tel: 537 064 62162.
Objective: To describe the Quality Assurance Programme applied in Cuba since 1987. Methods: This programme was organized by the AIDS Research Laboratory in its role of National Reference Center of Retroviruses, and it was improved with some recommendations given by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO). It includes schemes of internal and external quality control. Results: The application of the scheme of internal quality control allowed to put in practice some control measures before, during and after each assay in a systematic way; the introduction of this scheme also allows to use different procedures such as: control charts, repeatability of controls and samples with no visual evidence in order to assure accuracy and reliability of test results. During 1987-1995, 17 proficiency testing panels were sent for external quality control, and there was a mean participation of 80.5% in the first five years and 95.8% in the remaining ones. It was also demonstrated high efficiency in the performance of the laboratories, yielding a level of reliability of 95%. Conclusions: Our results confirm the effectivity of putting into effect a programme of quality control assurance, which permitted laboratories to be tested to see their performance. It also contributed to increase the technical competence among them, as they were submitted to periodical evaluations.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Cuba
- Laboratories
- Quality Control
- Research Design
- World Health Organization
- methods
Other ID:
UI: 102220459
From Meeting Abstracts