[Introduction of the NGSP value in clinical practice and later]

Currently, the NGSP value for HbA1c is widely used as the global standard. In Japan, the JDS value was replaced with the NGSP value in clinical practice on April 1, 2012. From April 2013, the NGSP value will also be used in health examinations. In April 2014, the HbA1c value will be consolidated into the NGSP value. Since the JDS did not finalize the timeline for the replacement until the last moment, clinical laboratories and manufacturers were left behind with little time for preparation; however, introduction of the NGSP value caused little confusion in clinical practice. It is speculated that the reason for the lack of confusion was either because dissemination of the NGSP replacement among clinicians, patients, and co-medicals was effective, or JDS and NGSP values were listed side by side in current clinical practice. Real confusion might occur when consolidation of the NGSP value becomes effective in April 2014. The final goal of international standardization of the HbAlc value will be achieved by enabling the measurement of HbA1c, which will be traced back to SI units in the future.