User support

Here you can find:
  • answers to frequently asked questions
  • ERM / IRMM application notes
  • guidance on the estimation of measurement uncertainty for GMO testing laboratories and on use of reference materials in genetic testing
  • references to the IFCC standard operating procedures for clinical reference materials

Frequently asked questions

General questions
Questions related to terms on the certificate
Questions related to handling of reference materials
Questions related to use of reference materials
Questions related specifically to ERM
Questions specifically related to GMO reference materials


ERM application notes

  Application Note 1: Comparison of a measurement result with the certified value Application Note 3: Using reference materials to establish traceability Application Note 4: Use of certified reference materials for the quantification of GMO in food and feed Application Note 5: Use of certified reference materials for the quantification of GMO in DNA copy number ratio Application Note 6: Use of ERM certificates and materials
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Chinese         cn (icon 574KB )
Japanese         jp (icon 637KB )


Note: Application Note 2 on calibration using reference materials is under preparation.


IRMM application notes

Application Note IRMM-351 (icon 101KB )

Application Note IRMM-352 (icon 115KB )


Guidance on the estimation of measurement uncertainty for GMO testing laboratories

A guidance document on the estimation of measurement uncertainty has been compiled on request of the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL) and as a follow-up of a workshop on measurement uncertainty in the GMO sector, organised by IRMM in July 2005. It outlines the technical issues related to the estimation of measurement uncertainty involved in the GMO sector. In particular it gives guidance to GMO testing laboratories on how to estimate the analytical variability of quantitative analytical results obtained by real-time PCR. Two selected approaches for the estimation of measurement uncertainty are presented in detail; references to alternative approaches are given.

Guidance document on measurement uncertainty for GMO testing laboratories (icon 695KB )


Guidance document on the use of reference materials in genetic testing

The aim of this guidance document is to provide a short and user-friendly support to genetic testing laboratories. It is based on internationally harmonised basic concepts and terminology for quality assurance and control (QA/QC). Relevant terms of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM) are explained and references to other expert texts are provided. The document includes discussion and clarification of several often misunderstood issues. It takes into account the current scientific knowledge and the existing technological capabilities. This document may be revised, when appropriate, to take into account progress in science and technology.

Guidance document on the use of reference materials in genetic testing (icon 458KB )


IFCC standard operating procedures for clinical reference materials

  • Concept of reference procedures for the measurement of catalytic activity concentrations of enzymes, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 631

  • Certification of four reference materials for the determination of enzymatic activity of γ-glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase and creatine kinase according to IFCC reference procedures at 37°C, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 739

  • New code ERM/IFCC (aspartate-aminotransferase): Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 725; Important remark: An error was introduced in Annex 1 "Determination of the catalytic concentration of LDH in the enzyme stock solution" in the section "Calculation". The correction factor applied to LDHstock should read 1905 instead of 2302. The same applies in Annex 2 for the determination of the catalytic concentration of MDH in the enzyme stock solution. Therefore the corrected formulas are: LDHstock= 1905.40401.ΔA/ΔtLD and MDHstock= 1905.40401. ΔA/ΔtMD.

  • ERM-AD452/IFCC (gamma-glutamyltransferase): Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 734

  • ERM-AD453/IFCC (lactate-dehydrogenase):Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 643

  • ERM-AD-454/IFCC (alanine-aminotransferase): Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 718

  • ERM-AD-455/IFCC (creatine kinase): Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 40 (2002) 635

  • ERM-AD-455/IFCC (creatine kinase): Correction: Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 42 (2004) 353

  • IRMM/IFCC-456 (alpha-amylase): Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 44 (2006) 1146




Last Update 26/11/2009