Comparison Scheme Explanation

There are different programs available on the website: the current year's PTP Program and the Comparison Program.

When should I participate in the Comparison Program?

The Comparison Program is a permanent program that allows participants to:

• Be evaluated on a test at any time of the year and receive results immediately
• Participate when the desired kit is no longer available in the current year's program
• Retest specimens following a Failed report in the current year's PTP program, when a retest (RCA) is required and the current year's kit is no longer available

Advantages of the Comparison Program:

• Reports are published throughout the year, meaning they are released shortly after the participant submits their results
• There is a wider selection of kits

What is the difference compared to the PTP Program?

In the PTP Program, if the participant submits their results before the deadline indicated for each test, their results will be statistically analyzed together with the rest of the population to determine the acceptance classes for the current year.

However, when the participant takes part in the Comparison Program, since the acceptance classes were determined in a previous year, the participant’s results are only compared to these classes. Their results are not included in the calculation of acceptance classes. Only a simple repeatability and mean calculation is performed to position their results within the acceptance classes. The same applies when a participant submits PTP results after the deadline.

Where do the Comparison kits come from?

Comparison kits come from previous programs; they are leftover stock from older PTP programs. However, these kits continue to be tested to ensure they maintain properties similar to those of the program they originally came from.

Comparison kits are identified by the label P/M-XXX-C1, C2, C3… Example: P-Hard-1-C1