ISO/IEC 17043:2010(en) Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing defines the proficiency testing (PT) as the evaluation of participant performance against pre-established criteria by means of interlaboratory comparisons.
Proficiency Testing Program operate by providing participating laboratories with test samples for analysis. Laboratories analyse the test samples, preferably as part of their normal routine, and reports the results to the Program’s providers by filling out the provided form of the protocol. Then participants are provided with a report showing whether their results meet the pre-established testing criteria, how closely their results agree with the accepted values, analysis of errors and deviations from the pharmacopeia practice. Regular participation in a proficiency-testing scheme:
- Provides staff with an insight into their laboratory's performance
- Benchmarks performance with that of other participant laboratories
- Demonstrates to end users of analytical data, regulatory bodies and accreditation bodies that there is a commitment to measurement quality
- serves as a feedback to the SPhU