Importance of ILC’s seems to be reduced in New version of standard and updates of EA documents. Why? ILC’s should be supported as much as PT’s to improve the competence of different size laboratories.
In the new version of ISO/IEC 17025:2017
- ILCs and PTs are well defined (3.5 and 3.6)- actually is the ISO/IEC 17043 definition
- In clause 7.2.2.1 ILCs are referred in the Note 1 as a technique useful for method validation
- In clause 7.7.2 b, ILCs are equally to PTs referred as ways of monitoring of the performance of the laboratory.
So the importance of ILC’s does not seem to be reduced in the new version of the standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (either autonomously or in comparison to PTs).
Regarding the use of ILCs in accreditation of calibration, testing laboratories and in addition of inspection bodies and PT providers:
- In document EA 02/02 (2.2.1.4) it is said that a National Accreditation body shall ensure that it meets the relevant requirements for proficiency testing activity (EA and ILAC applicant and signatory NABs: see ILAC P9),
- The ILAC P9:2014 clause 4 there is a comprehensive analysis regarding the use of PTs ans ILCs.
So, in addition to the new version, EA policy is harmonized with the ILAC policy and hasn’t changed regarding the fit for purpose use of ILCs.