WWARN Antimalarial Pharmacology Proficiency Testing

The WWARN QA/QC proficiency testing program for pharmacology laboratories assesses the ability of pharmacology laboratories to assay blood or plasma samples for concentrations of antimalarial compounds and their metabolites. Participation in the proficiency testing program is open to all laboratories doing either therapeutic efficacy studies or other research on antimalarial drug exposure. The program currently offers plasma-based samples for eight antimalarial drug compounds and metabolites: chloroquine/desethylchloroquine, mefloquine/carboxymefloquine, primaquine/carboxyprimaquine, amodiaquine/desethylamodiaquine, piperaquine, lumefantrine/desbutyl-lumefantrine, dihydroartemisinin, and artesunate. Commercially obtained and controlled plasma is spiked with accurately weighed certified reference materials. All active ingredients and the plasma are controlled by the manufacturer and reflected in certificates of analysis. Each analyte is sent in a range of concentrations, including the highest and lowest concentrations expected to be found in clinical samples (Table 1), which allows each laboratory to test the limits of its assay.