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Ask
the Expert — Dr. Stewart Bauck
Q. How
can I be sure the test results for IGENITY® MultiMARK,
including CVM and red coat color, are accurate?
A. Merial stands behind the results from IGENITY MultiMARK,
which can include CVM or red coat color. Producers can rest assured
that IGENITY results are fully validated, accurate and reliable.
To
ensure accuracy, Merial requires a robust quality control program
at the lab, both during the design and setup of the test as
well as routinely thereafter. For IGENITY MultiMARK, Merial
put rigorous standards of quality in place during the design
of each of the lab analyses. Currently, routine quality assurance
steps involving three independent approaches are performed:
- One
approach is to confirm accuracy by periodically running samples
of “known results.” For
example, a previous IGENITY RealRED™ sample will be retested
to make sure the analysis returns the same result.
- The
second approach is to send samples to separate labs to compare
results. There should be a high level of agreement between
the labs — if
not, an immediate investigation is required.
- Finally,
duplicate samples should be submitted “blindly” to
the lab. That is, the same sample is sent to the lab twice,
with two different identifications, to confirm that the results
are the same from each.
Merial
is confident of the results reported through IGENITY MultiMARK.
In fact, any producer that questions a result can ask that
the sample be reanalyzed for confirmation of the results. |
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