NCCLS eNews - 4 February 2004 (Plain Text Version)

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News
NCCLS: Working to Achieve Globalization in Health Care
Press Releases
Standards Status
Notice of Vote and Comment Deadline for Consensus Document
Recently Approved Documents
Recently Published ISO Standards
Seeking Input and Volunteer Participation on New Project Committee – Call for Nominations
Events and Exhibits
Meeting Calendar - February
Upcoming Events and Exhibits
Membership
Join Us
New and Sustaining Members

Recently Approved Documents

(H44-A2) Reticulocyte Counting by Flow Cytometry; (M33-A) Antiviral Susceptibility Testing; and (M36-A) Toxoplasma gondii

NCCLS is pleased to announce that the following documents have been approved by the Board of Directors for publication. See the text following this list for information on options for member and nonmember organizations to obtain copies.

H44-A2 — Methods for Reticulocyte Counting (Automated Blood Cell Counters, Flow Cytometry, and Supravital Dyes); Approved Guideline–Second Edition
This document provides guidance for the performance of reticulocyte counting by flow cytometry. It includes methods for determining the trueness and precision of the reticu-locyte flow cytometry instrument and a recommended reference procedure.

M33-A — Antiviral Susceptibility Testing: Herpes Simplex Virus by Plaque Reduction Assay; Approved Standard
This document provides a protocol for the performance of the plaque reduction assay for phenotypic antiviral susceptibility testing of herpes simplex virus.

M36-A — Clinical Use and Interpretation of Serologic Tests for Toxoplasma gondii; Approved Guideline
This document is intended to serve as a guide to aid in the interpretation of tests for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma infection.

-Second Notice-

H1-A5 — Tubes and Additives for Venous Blood Specimen Collection; Approved Standard—Fifth Edition
This document contains requirements for venous blood collection tubes and additives, including technical descriptions of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), sodium citrate, and heparin compounds used in blood collection devices.

H21-A4 — Collection, Transport, and Processing of Blood Specimens for Testing Plasma-Based Coagulation Assays; Approved Guideline—Fourth Edition
This document provides procedures for collecting, transporting, and storing blood; processing blood specimens; storage of plasma for coagulation testing; and general recommendations for performing the tests.

M40-A — Quality Control of Microbiological Transport Systems; Approved Standard
This document provides criteria to assist manufacturers and end users of transport devices in providing and selecting dependable products for the transport of microbiological clinical specimens.

MM7-A — Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Methods for Medical Genetics; Approved Guideline
This document addresses FISH methods for medical genetic determinations, identification of chromosomal abnormalities, and gene amplification. Recommendations for probe and assay development, manufacture, qualification, verification, and validation; instrument requirements; quality assurance; and evaluation of results are also included.

The NCCLS procedures have been designed to assure that consensus has been achieved when a standard or guideline is published at the approved level. This means that a document has been rigorously reviewed by the authoring subcommittee, the area committee overseeing the project, the Board of Directors, and the medical-testing community which participates in the consensus process by carefully reviewing and commenting on the standard or guideline. The listed approved consensus documents are available for purchase. You may automatically receive or select approved-level documents as a member benefit. For information on joining NCCLS, and viewing membership options and benefits, click here.