NORIP is a Nordic project with the goal to recommend Nordic serum/plasma reference intervals for 25 of the most common quantities used in clinical chemistry.

Participating laboratories receive five reference materials on dry ice of which one (CAL), will function as a “calibrator” for the reference values.

The participating laboratories will collect blood samples from at least 25 reference individuals evenly distributed on age and gender. In addition to the material needed for local measurement, seven replicates each of 1 mL of serum, two of plasma and one of buffycoat from EDTA-blood are to be collected, frozen at -80°C and sent to a central bio-bank.

The default concept is to freeze serum samples until measurement, but laboratories are invited also to measure on fresh plasma and serum if possible.

Each reference individual answer a questionnaire with personal information relevant for evaluation of reference intervals.

Samples and reference materials are measured in one series and results reported together with information on reference individuals and analytical methods.

Reference intervals are computed centrally.

After project is finished, the bio- and data bank will be administered by Nordic Society of Clinical Chemistry (NFKK).