The EQALM Cas Weykamp Award

The EQALM Cas Weykamp Award for the Most Outstanding Poster presenting Work based on an EQA Super Challenge

As part of the annual EQALM Symposium, the “The EQALM Cas Weykamp Award for the Most Outstanding Poster presenting Work based on an EQA Super Challenge “ (from here on “Award”) may be presented to a person or a group of persons who authored a poster that deals with the topic of EQA super challenges in general or describes the results of such an activity.

The name, and even more so the person Cas Weykamp, is associated with numerous EQA activities which, even without having used this term, represent EQA super challenges. In recognition of his achievements in this field, the Award was named after him. Dr. Cas Weykamp has kindly agreed to the use of his name in the title of the Award.

The Award

The Award consists of:

  • a certificate,
  • prize money 1 500 €, intended for registration, travel and accommodation for the awardee(s) to attend the EQALM Symposium in the year in which the Award is presented,
  • to give an oral presentation of their poster at the EQALM Symposium, offering them a valuable opportunity to showcase and discuss their data with the Symposium audience,
  • the listing of the awardee(s) and the titles of their award-winning posters on the EQALM website (Annual Symposia menu), together with the respective year and the sponsors of the Award.

Prize money will be paid by the EQALM office after the Symposium to the first author, for further distribution among the co-authors. EQALM bears no responsibility for distribution among co-authors.

Who Can Apply – Eligibility Criteria

  • The Award is open to authors (individuals or groups) of posters dealing with EQA super challenges (see definition), presenting results from such an activity.
  • Posters will be evaluated based on technical quality, thematic relevance, and contribution to the field of EQA super challenges.
  • At least one of the authors must be an EQALM member.
  • To receive the prize money, the awardees are required to present their poster orally at the EQALM Symposium in the year the Award is presented.
  • Applicants must submit their poster abstract in connection with the annual EQALM Symposium and, at the same time, send an e-mail to the EQALM office to indicate that they wish to be considered for the Award and confirming that they meet the eligibility requirements.
  • The same person or group may receive the Award more than once, provided the work meets the evaluation criteria.

Additional provisions

  • One of the co-authors must be an EQALM member.
  • The same person, an entire group, or some of its members may receive the Award more than once.
  • To receive price money, the awardees are required to give an oral presentation of their poster at the EQALM Symposium in the year the Award is presented.
  • If, after the Award has been presented, unfair or fraudulent scientific conduct on the part of one or more awardees becomes publicly known, the EQALM Executive Board may withdraw the Award. Such a withdrawal will be published on the EQALM website, and the prize money will be reclaimed.
  • This agreement can be extended upon mutual agreement of the parties.

Mario Plebani serves as member of the Jury

Poster abstracts whose authors have applied for the Award will be evaluated by a jury consisting of the EQALM Symposium Program Planning Committee and Prof. Mario Plebani, Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), who has been appointed by Dr. Cas Weykamp.

If there are several applicants who are fundamentally suitable, the jury members will rank them. If no applications are received, or if none meet the eligibility criteria - including technical quality, thematic relevance, and contribution to the field of EQA super challenges - the Award will not be presented that year. If the Program Planning Committee identifies abstracts that meet the criteria for eligibility but did not apply for the Award, their authors can be contacted and informed about the possibility to apply.

Super Challenge Definition

An EQA super challenge is a beforehand planned and coordinated activity between multiple EQA providers that generates information of value beyond that of individual programs. The simultaneous or near-simultaneous distribution of one or more samples or other test materials with identical properties or information content to participants increases the participant base and broadens the range of participating test systems and procedures. In addition to assessing analytical results of selected samples on different test systems, overarching influences such as organizational structures, compulsory or voluntary participation in EQA on pass rates, economic resources, or any other differences that may affect performance outcomes may be studied. The final report of an EQA super challenge can be a scientific publication, a contribution to a Health Technology Assessment Report, or simply serve as a basis for discussion and decision-making for IVD manufacturers, policy makers, public health institutions or other interested parties.

Donors and donations

GBD Company for Biotechnological Diagnostics mbH and Antitoxin GmbH has kindly offered to co-fund the Award on up to five occasions, preferably annually, if there are eligible applicants. If the Award is not presented in a given year, the funds will be carried forward to the following year. In the unlikely event that sufficient funds have not been received by EQALM before the winner is announced, the Award will either be postponed to a subsequent year until adequate funding is available, or, at EQALM’s sole discretion, another company may be included as a sponsor to ensure continuity.