Implementing a proficiency test provider for sphygmomanometers in Brazil

Self-verification represents a level of control in legal metrology where manufacturers are responsible for the conformity assessment of measuring instruments. To solve the independence and impartiality concerns, accreditation is introduced as a tool to monitor the competence of laboratories providing self-verification tests. Especially in health measurements, an inaccurate measurement may lead to misdiagnoses. To support the traceability of accredited laboratories, a proficiency test due to interlaboratory comparison is necessary in order to assess the conformity of measurements of manufacturers of sphygmomanometers for blood pressure measurement. Then, this study presents the implementing process of a proficiency test provider laboratory for sphygmomanometers based on legal metrology requirements in order to fulfill the necessity of an interlaboratory comparison among manufacturers that assess the conformity of sphygmomanometers. We also show a comparison of the measurement tests for three distinct manufacturers in order to identify divergences of processes.