About Us: Committee for Molecular Diagnostics
Background
There have been ground breaking advances in the development and
application of molecular diagnostic techniques in all laboratory
disciplines. However there are many concerns, common to all
disciplines, relating to the use of molecular diagnostics within
clinical settings, such as analytical and clinical performance
standards, quality control measures, and the paucity of external
quality control programs and reference materials. Stringent
performance standards in the manufacture and clinical validation of
commercial kits, as required by national or international IVD
directives, pose additional challenges. The C-MD was convened in
part to address some of these concerns, and a number of programs
have been formulated.
The general aim of the CMD programs is to promote cooperation
and harmonization within the field of Molecular Diagnostics in the
laboratory medicine. The general objective is to foster the highest
standards in the practice of molecular diagnostics in clinical
laboratories.
Target group
The C-MD website is primarily targeted at the IFCC community of
laboratory professionals, member organisations and corporate
members. However, the website may be useful for physicians and
other healthcare professionals.
Terms of Refernce
- Fostering dynamic exchanges and collaborations between the
IFCC, diagnostic laboratories, and corporate members in molecular
diagnostics.
- Creation of a network of locus specific IFCC Molecular
Diagnostics Centres.
- Provision of guidelines on the validation, conduct and
reporting of molecular diagnostic tests.
- Setting of guidelines for the development of reference
materials and methods in molecular diagnostics.
- Establishment of databases of allele frequencies and sequence
variations in regions bracketing disease loci.
- In partnership with the CEMBT, to foster educational activities
in molecular diagnostics.
Committee Membership
Chair: Francois Rousseau, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty
of Medicine, Unité de Recherche en Génétique Humaine et
Moléculaire, Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Genetics Services,
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec & Université
Laval, Québec, Québec; francois.rousseau@mac.com
Member: Mario Pazzagli, Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Department of
Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Italy; m.pazzagli@dfc.unifi.it
Member: Ron van Schaik, Department of Clinical Chemistry,
Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; r.vanschaik@erasmusmc.nl
Member: Cyril Mamotte, School of Biomedical Sciences, Division
of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western
Australia; C.Mamotte@curtin.edu.au
Member: Heinz Schimmel, European Commission-JRC-IRMM,
Retieseweg, Geel, Belgium; Heinz.SCHIMMEL@cec.eu.int
Member: Dennis Lo, Department of Chemical Pathology, Chinese
University of Hong Kong; loym@cuhk.edu.hk