The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) is a global
professional association
A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is a group that usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in ...
that promotes the fields of
clinical chemistry and
laboratory medicine.
It was established in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in 1952 as the International Association of
Clinical Biochemists to organize the various national societies of these fields and is based in Milan, Italy.
The IFCC's aims are to set
global standards, support and educate its members, and provide
conferences and other gatherings for sharing knowledge among the global laboratory medicine community.
IFCC members fall into three groups: national
societies
A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...
of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine,
corporation
A corporation or body corporate is an individual or a group of people, such as an association or company, that has been authorized by the State (polity), state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law as ...
s, and affiliate international or national societies involved in laboratory medicine.
As of 2023, these members represented more than 45,000 individual clinical
chemists, laboratory scientists, and laboratory physicians.
Structure and organization
The IFCC is governed by a council consisting of representatives appointed by member groups. The council elects an
executive board, which carries out objectives via committees and the organization's divisions.
Divisions
The Scientific Division works to advance the science of
clinical chemistry and to apply it to the practice of clinical laboratory medicine. It is responsible for responding to the scientific and technical needs of IFCC member societies, IFCC corporate members and external agencies. It instigates and promotes theoretical and practical developments in the field of standards and standardization in clinical chemistry.
The Education and Management Division provides IFCC members and the
health-care community with education relevant to clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. It administers a visiting lecturer program as well as clinical courses and workshops in
molecular biology
Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...
and other specialized areas.
The Communications and Publications Division promotes the work of the IFCC to scientists, physicians, and global health policy makers. It also publishes the
academic journal
An academic journal (or scholarly journal or scientific journal) is a periodical publication in which Scholarly method, scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the ...
eJIFCC.
The Emerging Technologies Division identifies
new technologies that could be applied to laboratory medicine and explores applications for those technologies.
Committees
The Congresses and Conferences Committee administers and manages IFCC meetings and
conferences.
Partnerships
The IFCC partners with
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation to educate the public and industry professionals on
accreditation standards.
See also
*
National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP)
*
Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
*
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)
*
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
*
ISO 15189
*
Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine
*
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into Outline of p ...
(NIST)
*
Reference values
A reference is a relationship between Object (philosophy), objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object. The first object in this relation is said to ''refer to'' the second object. ...
References
External links
International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine(IFCC)
ISO15189.com*
brief history of the IFCCand its leaders.
{{authority control
Standards organisations in Italy
Accreditation in healthcare
Chemistry organizations
Clinical pathology
International medical and health organizations
Scientific organizations established in 1952
1952 establishments in Italy