Which legislation established quality standards for laboratory testing to ensure accuracy and reliability?

The legislation that established quality standards for laboratory testing to ensure accuracy and reliability is CLIA, which stands for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. Enacted in 1988, CLIA sets regulatory standards for laboratory testing of specimens collected from humans to ensure that such tests are reliable and accurate. This legislation categorizes labs into different levels based on the complexity of the tests they perform and establishes requirements regarding personnel qualifications, proficiency testing, and quality assurance to ensure that lab results are consistent and accurate for patient care.

In contrast, other legislation mentioned does not pertain directly to laboratory testing standards. For instance, FECA (Federal Employees' Compensation Act) deals with workers' compensation for federal employees; ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) governs employee benefits and pension plans; and HCERA (Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act) focuses on health care reform and education-related provisions. None of these laws is geared towards setting quality standards specifically for laboratory testing like CLIA is.