The Australasian Society of Diagnostic Genomics (ASDG) offers a Quality Assessment Program in Clinical Cytogenetics. We invite participation from laboratories in Australia, New Zealand and other countries.

Our program evaluates laboratory performance for a wide range of cytogenetics samples and testing including:

• Blood – Constitutional
• Amniotic Fluid and Chorionic Villus – Prenatal
• Bone Marrow, Blood – Haematological Malignancy
• Fluorescent in situ Hybridisation (FISH)
• Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) FISH
• Chromosome Microarray
• Inter-Laboratory comparison of performance metrics (e.g. reporting times, success rates)

The program assesses various aspects of the testing process including technical/image quality, results interpretation and written reports. Participants can choose from different modules that cover the relevant areas for their laboratory.

Laboratory analytical and interpretive competency is evaluated against national regulatory guidelines through the following components:

1. Case and Image audit (Blood, Prenatal, Bone Marrow, including FISH).
2. Laboratory performance data (e.g. success rates, reporting times etc).
3. Proficiency testing: image analysis, chromosome microarray and FFPE FISH.

The ASDG QAP is an accredited Provider of Proficiency Testing and is compliant with the International Standard ISO/IEC 17043: Conformity assessment – General Requirements for Proficiency Testing.

For more information, please contact the Scheme Facilitator: asdgqap@gmail.com