New statistical framework for interlaboratory evaluation of anti-doping testing results by WADA

The World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), developed as part of the World Anti-Doping Program, requires satisfactory laboratory performance in the WADA External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) in order to obtain and maintain WADA accreditation. Under this mandate, WADA regularly distributes urine and blood test samples to anti-doping laboratories to continuously monitor their proficiency. Over the years, WADA has employed classical, generic statistical methods, in accordance to ISO 13528, to evaluate quantitative EQAS results. Here, we set out the rationale for a modern statistical approach that recognizes and addresses the particular features of the measurement results typically obtained in such tests and present an approach involving Bayesian measurement models and statistical data analysis that is tailored specifically to anti-doping testing.