Latest issue of the Vam Bulletin is dedicated to a comprehensive review of the past three years of the Vam programme
The Vam Bulletin is a twice-yearly journal focusing on the latest activities and developments from the DTI National Measurement System's Valid Analytical Measurement (Vam) programme, of which LGC is the lead contractor.
Through Vam, LGC has been providing support to UK industry to ensure that analytical measurements are carried out competently and accurately by providing the tools needed to implement best practice and demonstrate the validity of their results.
Published by LGC, this issue (Number 29, Autumn 2003) takes a look back at the Vam programme that ended on 30 September.
Since publication, LGC has been awarded the contract to lead the next three year Vam programme.
Guest columnist Paul Berryman, of Hampshire County Council scientific services, looks at the programme's successes of the past three years and gives his impression of the previous programme including his own personal involvement.
To enlighten readers further of the work carried out under Vam, there are articles providing updates on selected research projects, and the spotlight is turned on the topic of in-house method validation, which includes mention of some newly-launched tools - a guide and a software package - that provide user friendly advice to SMEs on conducting in-house method validation studies.
One of LGC's main activities under Vam is the development of standard methods for a variety of analytical techniques.
It is in light of this that the news section includes an article about the Royal Society of Chemistry's development of a standard method for making tea.
This was done to mark the 100th birthday of George Orwell, author of such titles as Nineteen Eighty Four, Animal Farm and the essay, How to Make a Cup of Tea.
