With the looming threat of a trade war between the United States and Canada, many Canadians are moving their purchases away from the states, trying to buy local and canceling vacations. Here in Vancouver, there is unanimous support from city councilors to prioritize Canadian businesses when making purchasing decisions. The Canadian government has suggested imposing retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States, and while these tariffs have been paused for the time being, they give us a general idea of what to expect from the government’s response. Fortunately, proficiency testing does not appear on that list. However, with a potentially weakening Canadian dollar and uncertainty around cross-border relations, there has never been a better time to order your proficiency testing from a Canadian provider.
Here in BC, switching your proficiency testing provider is simple. The Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP), which is part of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, strongly suggests that labs get their proficiency testing from a provider that is accredited to ISO 17043. Once the decision has been made to order from a new provider, all the lab needs to do is file a Notice of Significant Change form with DAP to notify them of the change of PT provider.
Aside from the current political climate, there are a number of good reasons to order PT from a provider within Canada. For one thing, the cost can be a lot lower, once import duties and the exchange rate are taken into account. Also, if you’re ordering from the states, CLIA regulations require that labs participate in PT three times a year for most schemes, with a minimum of five samples per shipment. Accreditation bodies in Canada have different requirements, and DAP only requires proficiency testing twice a year with at least two samples per shipment. While we are of the opinion that PT is a valuable educational exercise, and that it’s preferable to participate as often as possible, purchasing fewer samples can lower costs during tight times. If you want to test more often, ask your Canadian proficiency testing provider whether they can provide extra samples or extra shipments for your lab – some can accommodate custom requests.
Whatever labs decide to do, the deadline is fast approaching, as many PT programs will begin shipping soon. At CMPT, our ordering deadline for 2025 is March 21st (although orders for some programs can be accommodated after the deadline.)
To learn more about CMPT’s PT programs, check out our online catalog. You can also order here, or inquire about our programs.
