Who 'controls' quality control data analysis?

Abstract

A common quality control tool is peer group comparison of data from commercial controls. While its real-time effectiveness is limited, inappropriate statistical management of the data can cause an individual lab's performance to be misrepresented. Here are two examples where vendor-directed data analysis contained flagrant errors. The finding that vendors use inappropriate algorithms to compare accuracy and precision of peer performance suggests a need, the author believes, to set rigorous standards of reporting for the protection of participating laboratories.