Speaker: Christopher Naugler, M.D. FRCPC (Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary)

New approaches to assessing laboratory utilization

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1)  Describe the Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2.
2)  Understand Health Canada standards for SARS-CoV-2 serological assays.
3)  Identify problems with serological testing in low prevalence areas (Alberta).

An update on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1)  Compare and contrast SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate technologies
2)  Describe laboratory techniques used to evaluate vaccines
3)  Interpret data from leading SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials
4)  Discuss when a vaccine might be available and what key questions remain

SARS-CoV-2 serology testing in low prevalence areas

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1)  Describe the Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2
2)  Describe how a change to LC-MS/MS for adrenal steroid measurements may adversely affect clinical use of the tests for dynamic diagnostic procedures that do not make sure of a traditional reference range

Development of an algorithm to detect intravenous fluid contamination of specimens using chemistry results

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1)  List potential tests for which the results can be used to detect contamination and provide justification for their selection
2)  Outline a process to develop pass/fail rules to alert for suspected contamination

Reference Interval Harmonization Across Canada: Pediatric and Adult Perspectives

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1)  Discuss the importance of reference interval harmonization in pediatric and adult populations and the barriers to implementation
2)  Provide an overview of the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER) as well as its recent activities and contribution to harmonization
3)  Provide an overview of the recent activities of the CSCC Reference Interval Harmonization Working Group (hRI WG)
4)  Discuss planned and future work of these initiatives towards reference interval harmonization in Canada

Common Reference Intervals – The Theory and The Practice

Reference intervals are a vital part of reporting numerical pathology results, however they are often given much less attention than the results that are compared with them. Indeed studies on reference intervals generally show a variation not related to any analytical differences between laboratories. The presentation will cover the nature of reference intervals and how reference intervals aimed at serving a region or country may differ from those used at a single institution and why this is a vital development. Such common reference intervals must be developed in an appropriate manner and consideration given to promoting widespread adoption.