The European Metrology Network (EMN) for Laboratory Medicine brings together European National Metrology Institutes, Designated Institutes and partners from medicine and industry to support the application of metrology, the science of measurement, to in vitro diagnostics tests.

Health care affects the lives of almost every European citizen. A significant number of medical decisions depends upon in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) tests. With numerous applications, from detecting diseases, conditions and infections, these tests can be performed in laboratories, hospitals or even in the home.

Metrological traceability of IVDs ensures accurate test results irrespective of the laboratory, the IVD provider, or the instrumentation used for testing. Traceability also lowers the financial burden on healthcare systems by avoiding nonessential testing and allows IVD manufacturers to comply with legal requirements, such as the regulation EU 2017/746 (IVDR) or to gain and maintain market access.