KCDC becomes global network laboratory
By Yun Suh-young
The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Thursday that its laboratory was registered this month in the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) as the 15th in its HbA1c network of laboratories.
This is the first time a state-run laboratory has also been recognized globally. The KCDC is an affiliate organization of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The global laboratories’ network is certified to maintain the accuracy of HbA1c examinations. HbA1c is a management index which is used for checking a patient’s blood sugar level. The index shows patients’ levels for the past 2-3 months.
The IFCC is a leading organization in the field of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine worldwide. It aims to provide a forum for the standardization of research and enhance the quality of patient treatment.
“We have put great efforts into establishing a standardization system in the field of laboratory medicine since last year together with the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine (KSLM),” said the KCDC through a press release.
“As a result, we were able to register in the global HbA1c network of laboratories. We can now play an active role as an accreditation organization in this field both here and abroad.”
As the importance of preventive treatment is growing, more doctors are turning to results of laboratory medicine to easily and accurately diagnose borderline patients who don’t show any symptoms. Laboratory examination results are also important in establishing a trustworthy healthcare policy.
The KCDC is currently establishing a guideline for the operation of the test.
Most developed countries already run a national laboratory for the standardization of laboratory medicine examinations.
The KCDC and KSLM also plan to acquire global certification in the field of lipid and creatinine through continuous cooperation.
Meanwhile, the two bodies co-hosted the 2nd International Conference on the Standardization in Clinical Chemistry at the Millennium Seoul Hilton on Thursday to discuss the development of a standardization system in Korea with foreign and domestic professionals in that field.