1 – Program overview

This external quality assessment program evaluates the accuracy of steroid, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 assays, with an interlaboratory comparison by peer group.

Statistical reports are sent with supporting comments from the expert clinical biologists / program coordinators.

Participating labs can choose to be assessed for all the analytes of this program, or simply a subset of analytes of interest.

2 – Assessment frequency

Number of surveys per year: 6
Number of control samples per survey: 1 or 2
Number of samples per year: 9

3 – List of analytes assessed

• 17-alpha-OH-progesterone
• Delta-4-androstenedione
• Aldosterone
• DHEA
• DHEA-Sulfate
• IGF-1
• IGFBP-3
• SHBG or TeBG

4 – Description of the control samples

Lyophilised human control serum (samples to be resuspended in 3 mL of distilled water).