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Welcome, Dr. Ross Davison and Dr. Mathew Diggle, to the Clinical Bacteriology Technical Committee

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Dr. Davison and Dr. Diggle who have volunteered their time to become part of our Clinical Bacteriology technical committee. Dr. Davison is an associate professor with the department of pathology, medicine

Posted in News

Why should cannabis testing labs participate in Proficiency Testing?

All laboratory testing requires consistent and objective quality assurance oversight and evaluation to ensure test results are accurate, timely, and reliable and help prevent unnecessary harm to the population. Regardless of industry regulation, enrolment in a PT program has invaluable

Posted in Industry Microbiology

The Case for Accreditation of Cannabis Testing Laboratories

Analytical testing is often regarded as an important requirement in terms of health and safety for consumers. It is often seen as part of the checks and balances that help build trust between the consumer, the industry and governing bodies.

Posted in Industry Microbiology

Why Do We Send Paper Challenges?

The recently reviewed ISO 18159:2022 standard (Medical laboratories – Requirements for quality and competence) indicates that testing laboratories should participate in EQA programmes and that those EQA programmes should, to the extent possible, check the pre-examination, examination, and post-examination procedures.

Posted in Quality

Lab Quality Management and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Courses – Registration Opening in September, 2024

Our Laboratory Quality Management (LQM) and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) courses, offered by POLQM, will be open for registration in September! Both courses will begin in January 2025. You can find more details on the POLQM website. (LQM Course |

Posted in Continuing Education

Congratulations Caleb Lee!

Our very own Senior Technologist Caleb Lee has won a prestigious award from UBC’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The Outstanding Staff Award recognizes the contributions of “technicians and technologists whose outstanding performance enhances the mission of the Department

Posted in News

What Happens When a Lab Fails PT?

What happens when your lab fails a proficiency testing challenge? Proficiency testing is, of course, necessary for accreditation, but what happens after receiving a non-passing grade? What needs to be done, and by whom? And why is the process designed

Posted in Quality

New Antimicrobial Breakpoint Requirements from CLSI and FDA

What do they mean for Canadian Medical Microbiology Laboratories. R.P. Rennie, Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. In the past few months, The FDA and CLSI have created a requirement for testing laboratories accredited by United States

Posted in Clinical Microbiology

ISO Accreditation for Medical Laboratories

And other topics presented at MedLab Middle East 2024 CMPT Chair Dr. Lucy Perrone was invited to give two talks at the MedLab Middle East Conference in Dubai in February and shares this report regarding major themes and topics. A

Posted in Clinical Microbiology, News

Bacteria Identification Methods as a Factor Affecting Clinical Lab Performance

We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Wu’s poster: “Identification methods as a factor affecting performance of clinical microbiology laboratories participating in an external quality assessment program: A cross-sectional analysis of 6 years of data” has been accepted for presentation

Posted in News