At a glance
- Our clinical reference laboratories maintain highly accurate, specific reference measurement procedures for chronic disease biomarkers.
- We offer a variety of services to help laboratories and organizations improve testing quality and reliability.
Our services
Reference laboratory services
Our clinical reference laboratories continuously manage 10 highly accurate, specific reference measurement procedures for chronic disease biomarkers. We are developing new reference methods for high-priority biomarkers. Through these reference measurement procedures, we help laboratories and organizations with the following:
- Assigning reference values to calibration and other reference materials
- Developing reference materials
- Conducting studies to assess the quality of reference materials
- Developing new and improving existing laboratory methods
- Establishing reference laboratory capacities globally
CDC CSP reference measurements
Total glycerides
HDL-cholesterol
LDL-cholesterol
Testosterone*
Estradiol*
25-OH-vitamin D2* and 25-OH-vitamin D3*
Free thyroxine*
Glucose*
*We are the only laboratory in the United States that is continuously managing these reference measurement procedures.
Certification and monitoring programs
Certification programs
CDC assesses the analytical performance of new and established laboratory tests in patient care, public health, and clinical research globally.
We help laboratories and test manufacturers by:
- Offering certification programs for chronic disease biomarkers
- Performing focused interlaboratory comparison studies for biomarkers of high clinical interest
- Conducting performance assessment studies of testing devices in laboratories
- Providing single-donor materials with reference information for clinical laboratory self-assessment.
Our Certification Programs
Monitoring programs
We provide critical data by monitoring the accuracy and precision of laboratory tests used in patient care and research by:
- Administering accuracy-based monitoring programs
- Supporting external quality assurance–proficiency testing program providers
- Helping researchers and public health officials in monitoring laboratories that do clinical and epidemiological studies.
Our Accuracy Monitoring Programs
Quality control and orientation materials
CDC CSPs offer quality-control study materials and sample sets for more detailed method verification and characterization for total 25-hydroxyvitamin D, total testosterone, and estradiol. We also offer measurement data on additional steroid hormone levels (17α-hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone [17-OHP], androstenedione, progesterone, testosterone, estrone, 17β-estradiol, estrone sulfate, and dehydroepiandrosterone) and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Customization is available on request.
New reference methods, programs, and focus areas
- Parathyroid hormones
- Lipoprotein(a)
- Free, unbound testosterone
- Point-of-care testing devices
For more information on new activities, email: standardization@cdc.gov.
Outreach, capacity building, and education
CDC CSPs share knowledge and expertise with public and private groups to build laboratory capacity, educate them about the status of analytical performance of biomarker testing, and convey the importance of accurate and reliable laboratory tests in patient care and public health.