As laboratory accreditation bodies continue the transition to ISO/IEC 17025-1999, the issues of traceability, measurement uncertainty, and method validation continue to present a challenge, particularly for chemical testing laboratories. One of the roles of regional accreditation cooperations, such as the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), is promoting harmonization in the interpretation and assessment of ISO/IEC 17025 by accreditation bodies. In support of that role, APLAC is developing guidance on assessment of measurement uncertainty in chemical testing laboratories. This paper presents a brief description of APLAC, an update on the work in APLAC regarding uncertainty and traceability in chemical testing, a discussion of various approaches to compliance with the relevant ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, and how laboratory accreditation bodies are addressing these requirements during the transition to the new standard. |