A challenging year ahead!
Welcome to the first newsletter of what is officially our last year. However momentum is gathering behind our efforts to find ways of continuing our activities – efforts which the EU supports and also have the backing of the ESHG. We will keep you informed of developments, but meanwhile I encourage you to continue to spread the word about our continuing highly successful activities such as the quality workshops and databases, reference materials initiatives, technology evaluations, patient rights surveys and patient educational materials.
18-19 June 2009, Leuven, Belgium
Topics such as laboratory quality assurance and accreditation are not commonly addressed in (inter)national scientific meetings. This symposium aims to respond to this shortcoming and bring together people working in diagnostic laboratories.
Announcing the first EUGT Laboratory Quality Award
At the symposium, the first EUGT Laboratory Quality Award will also be presented to a laboratory which is judged to be making the best contribution to the improvement of the awareness of quality management in genetic testing.
Topics such as laboratory quality assurance and accreditation are not commonly addressed in (inter)national scientific meetings. This symposium aims to respond to this shortcoming and bring together people working in diagnostic laboratories.
Announcing the first EUGT Laboratory Quality Award
At the symposium, the first EUGT Laboratory Quality Award will also be presented to a laboratory which is judged to be making the best contribution to the improvement of the awareness of quality management in genetic testing.
All laboratories, irrespective of size or current status, are encouraged to submit a proposal outlining their experience, idea or improvement.
European Cytogenetics contacts
A new list of key contacts for Cytogenetics quality schemes has been received from CEQA and is available on the website.
Registration now open for 2009 Quality workshops
Places are sure to fill up rapidly for this year’s workshops, so please reserve your place as soon as possible and remind colleagues. The schedule is
Towards accreditation – Managing the human side of change
Leuven, Belgium
20-21 April 2009
Accreditation for beginners
Vienna, Austria (before the ESHG)
22-23 May 2009
Fulfilling the requirements of ISO 15189 for management review, internal quality control and external quality assessment
Vienna, Austria (before the ESHG)
22-23 May 2009
Validation of diagnostic tests in clinical molecular genetics
Bologna, Italy
26-27 October 2009
Towards accreditation – Managing the human side of change
Leuven, Belgium
20-21 April 2009
Accreditation for beginners
Vienna, Austria (before the ESHG)
22-23 May 2009
Fulfilling the requirements of ISO 15189 for management review, internal quality control and external quality assessment
Vienna, Austria (before the ESHG)
22-23 May 2009
Validation of diagnostic tests in clinical molecular genetics
Bologna, Italy
26-27 October 2009
New call for innovative technologies call focuses on DNA diagnostics
EuroGentest's technology recruitment and evaluation platform offering access to our 100 plus member laboratories across Europe has proven a major success. Projects to date have ranged widely from evaluation of new mutation scanning methods such as CSCE and HR-MCA to evaluation of DNA isolation methods and decision-support software tools such as Alamut. At the end of May 2009, EuroGentest will again organize their Satellite meeting on 'Innovative Techniques in Genome Diagnostics' at the ESHG conference in Vienna (Austria). Therefore a new call for innovative technologies in DNA Diagnostics has been released and submissions can be made until March 8, 2009. This year there will also be a focus on new developments in whole genome sequencing and its application in DNA Diagnostics. Read more here
Automated DNA extraction evaluation released
Members can access the latest EuroGentest Technology Assessment Report on the integration of the Chemagen Magnetic DNA Separator with the Perkin Elmer MultiProbe II Liquid Handler here
Workshop on Patent Licensing in Medical Biotechnology in Europe
February 6, 2009 - Leuven
Last year the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIR, University of Leuven, Belgium) organized a survey on “Patent Licensing in Medical Biotechnology in Europe”, which was also completed by members of EuroGentest. The major aim of the survey was to review what kind of licensing practices are currently used to guarantee freedom to operate in the field of medical biotechnology in Europe. In particular the knowledge of, experience with and attitude of the respondents towards new collaborative licensing models, such as patent pools and clearinghouses, as an instrument to clear third party's patent rights, were evaluated. These models are especially interesting in the light of new trends in innovation policy, like open innovation, requiring innovative business models complemented by collaborative models for dealing with patents.
Last year the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIR, University of Leuven, Belgium) organized a survey on “Patent Licensing in Medical Biotechnology in Europe”, which was also completed by members of EuroGentest. The major aim of the survey was to review what kind of licensing practices are currently used to guarantee freedom to operate in the field of medical biotechnology in Europe. In particular the knowledge of, experience with and attitude of the respondents towards new collaborative licensing models, such as patent pools and clearinghouses, as an instrument to clear third party's patent rights, were evaluated. These models are especially interesting in the light of new trends in innovation policy, like open innovation, requiring innovative business models complemented by collaborative models for dealing with patents.
The Centre is organizing a workshop on February 6, 2009 where the results of the survey will be presented and discussed with experts from industry, university and hospitals. For more information on the workshop program and registration, please visit the website
Patient information leaflet series extended by popular demand
Following the major success of the initial 11 patient information leaflets on key topics in genetic disease and genetic testing EuroGentest has embarked upon a new series. Professionals and patient groups across Europe have identified the need for guidance and information on specific topics such as predictive testing, carrier testing as well as a generic “What Happens in the Genetics Laboratory” guide.
Project manager Celine Lewis has been delighted by the reaction to leaflets: “It was a real challenge to produce the first 11 leaflets in a format that could be used as universally as possible. We consulted widely and received a tremendous amount of useful feedback. Once published we were then innundated by requests for language versions from not just the EU, but further afield. Fortunately, professionals again responded wonderfully to our requests for help with translations. For example we have just completed Farsi and Croatian versions and the leaflets are currently being translated into Russian. However we were also soon getting request to expand the topics. We started planning last autumn and four new leaflets will soon be available in English with translations scheduled for completion by the end of the year.”
Statistics show that nearly 20% of all traffic on the EuroGentest website has been related to the leaflets, with Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish being the most popular languages. In December alone the leaflets were viewed 3,308 times. Download existing leaflets here
EuroGentest
Harmonizing genetic testing across Europe
Harmonizing genetic testing across Europe