What is Cystic Fibrosis European Network?

The European Cystic Fibrosis Thematic Network was a project approved under the 5th framework program from the European Union. This project (QLK3-CT99-00241, 2000 - 2004) was coordinated from the Center for Human Genetics by Prof Jean-Jacques Cassiman and Prof Elisabeth Dequeker as executive coordinator.

The philosophy of the network has grown out of the experience gained from the Biomed-2 CF concerted action (BMH4-CT96-0462, 1996-2000) which showed the needs for closer interaction between the patient organizations and the clinical professions as well as those involved in fundamental research on Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

The European network brought together all parties involved in the same quest "the fight against CF", with the aim of making information more easily available to everybody such as the CF manuals for patients.

At the moment the CF network works in close collaboration with the EuroGentest Network of Excellence and the European Molecular Genetics Quality Network (EMQN) in order to improve harmonization of External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes within Europe.

The European Network organizes a yearly External Quality Assessment scheme for Cystic Fibrosis, for more than 200 laboratories world-wide. More information on the different phases of the CF EQA scheme can be found on the 'EQA process' webpage.

The aim of the CF EQA scheme is to evaluate the entire analytical process, from DNA sample receipt and genotyping up to the written report (example 1, example 2) with the final interpretation of the data as it is normally being sent to the clinician who requested for the genetic test.