LGC invited to international anti-doping symposium on standards and metrology

Last week (28 to 29 September), leading scientific experts from metrology (measurement science) and anti-doping gathered in Paris to discuss the role of standards and the importance of measurement accuracy in anti-doping analysis.

The event was jointly organised by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It provided a unique forum for experts from these two fields to review the latest initiatives in metrology to support the harmonization of analytical practices, as well as highlight emerging measurement challenges.

Two scientists from the Measurement Research team at LGC were asked to present at this invitation-only event.

Chris Mussell demonstrated a bottom-up approach to measurement uncertainty assignment for organic analytes as part of the session on ‘Measurement Uncertainty of Determinations of Threshold Substances’. The role of measurement uncertainty, the range or amount of error associated with a measurement, is crucial to quantitative anti-doping analysis. Without an associated measurement uncertainty, the amount of a banned substance cannot be meaningfully compared against the accepted limit and decisions on whether an athlete can continue to compete cannot be effectively made.

Qualitative analytical tests that provide a yes/no-type result present different analytical challenges. In qualitative analysis, a banned substance is identified but not quantified. Dr Steve Ellison discussed approaches for determining and controlling the limits of detection of methods for qualitative organic analysis as part of the session on ‘Measurement support for qualitative analyses’.
 
LGC runs training courses on measurement uncertainty. Please contact us for further information.