Sri Lanka Accreditation Board

Proficiency Testing

Proficiency Testing (PT) is an effective mechanism for evaluating technical competence and reliability of analytical results of a laboratory which is an essential element in the Accreditation Process. It involves a group of laboratories performing the analysis on the same sample or parallel samples and comparing results.

Participating in a PT programme provides a laboratory with an objective means of assessing and demonstrating the reliability of data it produces thus providing an additional external measure of its testing capability.

SLAB facilitates and coordinates PT Programmes for the benefit of all laboratories in improving their performance levels. SLAB coordinates and offers PT programmes through two mechanisms;

1. International PT Programmes coordinated by APLAC for Testing & Metrology Laboratories are offered for participation for Laboratories in Sri Lanka through the SLAB. In addition, SLAB Accredited Laboratories are encouraged to participate PT programmes coordinated by national and international PT providers.
2. PT Programmes coordinated by SLAB for Testing & Medical/Clinical Laboratories and Calibration laboratories are arranged with the participation of competent laboratories as PT providers. SLAB informs laboratories and invites participation when such programmes are organized. Please refer SLAB Proficiency Testing Schedules for Testing, Medical/Clinical and Calibration laboratories for more information.

All participant laboratories are issued with reports indicating its performance levels. SLAB ensures strict confidentiality of each participating laboratory and results are not released to a third party. Results of PT programmes are strictly used for improvement and development and are not used for commercial advantage.

Local & International PT providers and their correspondence details are available in the following lists.

APLAC PT directory

In addition, SLAB requests the laboratories to find further Information on PT Programmes offered by APLAC and other PT providers. Links to the home pages of PT providers are given below. Please be noted that the list given below is not an extensive list of all PT providers.

APLAC PT Programmes

• American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA)
• AOAC International
• Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC)
• ASTM International
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• China NIL Research Center for Proficiency Testing
• CSL Proficiency Testing Group
• European Information System on Proficiency Testing Schemes (EPTIS)
• National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), Australia
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
• College of American Pathologists (CAP)
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Hematology (AIIMS)
• BIO-RAD