Latest News & Updates

  • Our 2025 EQAS Enrolment is open!

    Our NRL EQAS enrolment is officially open. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance the accuracy and reliability of your testing. View our catalogue here

    Are you a new EQAS customer who wants to order?

    Before you can place an order through our NRL webstore, it’s essential for all new customers to be set up in our system. This step ensures a smooth and efficient purchasing experience tailored to your needs.

    To begin this process, we encourage you to reach out to our dedicated team at [email protected] We’re here to assist you with any questions you may have and to guide you through the setup process. Our goal is to make your experience as seamless as possible, allowing you to access our EQAS offerings without delay.

    NRL Webstore: A New Way of Ordering for 2025

    We are excited to announce a new ordering system for 2025. The NRL Webstore will be your all-in-one hub for accessing and purchasing NRL products. A Step-by-Step video can be found below.

     

    How to Get Started:

    Step 1: Returning EQAS customers, check your inbox for an email to reset your password. By resetting your password, you will activate your Webstore account. Please make sure to check your junk or spam. If you don’t have an email, get in touch.

    Step 2: Log in to the Webstore using the link emailed.

    Step 3: Select the EQAS tab located on the top of webpage, this page will display all our products and prices.

    Step 4: Select View Product > Click on Quantity according to Test Event. For Extra Volume Samples > Click on Quantity according to Test Event.

    Sub Total will appear on the bottom with a message

    “Please note subtotal will be inaccurate when selecting extra volumes. Our admin team will be in contact regarding your order and extra volumes” Cost does not include Shipping and handling fee/GST (if applicable).

    If the above applies to you, our admin team will contact you to finalise your order total.

    Step 5: Select Add to Cart.

    Step 6: Select Check Out when ordering is complete or Continue Ordering.

    Step 7: Enter your Full Name and Delivery Address and Billing Address (if they differ). Enter your Purchase Order Number (For Australian Customers only).

    Step 8Review your Order Summary then select Continue.

    Step 9: Add Notes About your Order if required.

    Step 10:  Select Complete Purchase.

    Step 11: Once you have completed your order, a confirmation will be emailed to you. If you require any further information, please get in touch.

    We encourage you to visit the webstore today and explore all that it has to offer. As always, our team is here to support you, so if you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out via [email protected]

    New HIV Pilot Program!
    NRL EQAS is aware that with the discontinuation of BioRad Genscreen HIV Bio-Rad Genscreen HIV-1 Ag EIA in the Australian market, and the release of NPAAC Fourth Edition of “Requirements for laboratory testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)”, many laboratories are currently implementing HIV qualitative molecular assays as part of confirmatory testing for HIV.
    To continue supporting the quality of infectious disease testing, NRL EQAS decided to launch a pilot program for HIV qualitative molecular testing in Jun-Jul 2024 aligned with Test Event 2 window. 
    The pilot program for HIV qualitative molecular will include low titre HIV-1 RNA and HIV-2 RNA to assist your laboratory to monitor the performance of newly implemented HIV qualitative molecular assays.
    If you are interested in participating in this pilot program, please contact NRL EQAS [email protected] for details.

2025 EQAS Catalogue

The importance of NRL EQAS

NRL External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) assess the integrity of the entire testing process for infectious disease markers – from sample receipt through to final interpretation of patient test result.

The design and analysis of NRL’s EQAS draw upon NRL’s extensive experience and scientific methods to ensure maximum scope for error detection.

NRL EQAS provide a combination of positive and negative samples, representative of what would typically be received by a testing laboratory/point-of-care site. On completion of EQAS testing, laboratories/sites report their results online via OASYS, an internet-based informatics application.

This data is statistically analysed and a final report compiled; laboratories/sites can assess their results and compare their performance with peer laboratories using the same IVDs.

NRL is a fully accredited ISO 17043 provider and our EQAS service includes:

  • Genuine and diverse patient samples
  • Scientific and technical support to resolve problems in laboratory testing
  • A global network of laboratories in more than 50 countries
  • Programs designed specifically for clinical and/or blood screening institutions; and point of care testing sites

A range of proficiency programs can be found in the current NRL EQAS Catalogue

 

Why EQAS? 

External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) provide integrity assessment for the entire infectious disease testing process – identifying and resolving any potential sources of error, and ultimately preventing misdiagnosis.

Compulsory in many jurisdictions, EQAS schemes are implemented only periodically each year and are an integral solution to the external quality assurance that a testing laboratory can undertake.

NRL is the leader in EQAS programs for infectious disease, offering serology and nucleic acid testing panels. NRL’s programs are syndromic and typically reflect a range of analytes as requested by physicians, such as respiratory viruses (including COVID-19), hepatitis, and HIV.

 

Why NRL EQAS?

How does EQAS work? 

NRL EQAS panels are run periodically by participating laboratories, with results recorded. NRL uses these results to provide detailed and sophisticated reports of each laboratory’s performance in external QA. All reports are compiled and reviewed by NRL scientists, and all analysis is performed using our and our partners’ sophisticated informatics platforms.

Panels are comprised of sample types representative of specimens normally received by a laboratory (such as plasma), as well as alternatives (such as dried tube samples (DTS) for use by those working in remote communities or low- and middle-income countries). NRL is able to provide undiluted and diverse samples through our material transfer agreements with collaborating blood transfusion services (e.g. plasma packs screened as positive for infectious diseases are provided to NRL for use in our QA programs).

NRL EQAS is accredited to ISO 17043 and includes specifically designed single and multianalyte programs for Blood Screening, Clinical NAT, Clinical Serology and Point-of-Care (POC) testing.

NRL’s EQA programs are provided in partnership with Oneworld Accuracy (1WA) Vancouver, Canada. EQAS laboratories/sites submit testing results online via OASYS, developed by 1WA and used globally as a collection and analysis tool for external QA data aggregation and analysis.

Meet Our EQAS Team

  • Kate Zhang - EQAS Manager

    Kate obtained a master’s degree in science, majoring in molecular biology and a bachelor’s degree of science, majoring in Biochemistry. She has been working in pathology laboratories and specialised in infectious disease serology and molecular diagnostics in recent years. Prior to moving to the diagnostics field, she worked as a senior scientist in research and process development for animal vaccines. Currently, Kate leads NRL’s EQAS team, with her work being invaluable to our service offerings

    Bernadette Portelli - EQAS Scientist

    Bernadette Portelli is a Scientist at NRL EQAS, with a Bachelor of Biological Science in Cell and Molecular Biology from Deakin University. With nearly a decade in private pathology, she specialises in infectious disease serology and molecular diagnostics for human and veterinary applications. Her interests include serology and molecular quality assurance. Notably, she has validated new diagnostic tests and developed respiratory and molecular EQA programs at NRL, improving diagnostic quality.

    Kisten Muscat - EQAS Scientist

    Kirsten Muscat is an EQAS scientist working at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL). She completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in 2019 from the University of Melbourne and has since been working across different teams at NRL. She is passionate about collaborating with infectious diseases laboratories and testing sites to support the provision of scientifically robust proficiency testing panels.

    Kathy Smeh - EQAS Scientist

NRL Webstore: Step-by-step Guide

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