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Abstract Background For the external quality assessment (EQA) of glucose point-of-care testing (POCT), a high-quality, suitable, and practicable control material for assessing measurement accuracy has been lacking so far. As both the analyte glucose and the matrix whole blood are not stable without stabilizers, the current EQA surveys are based on glucose measurement in processed plasma. However, the manufacturer generally designed the devices for POCT glucose measurement for capillary blood. For this reason, INSTAND e.V. recently presented a new concept for control material in glucose POCT for EQA systems: The Whole Blood Beads model (WBB) [1]. The WBB model is also being subjected to a Europe-wide study on the commutability and suitability of control materials as part of COMET. COMET is an EU-funded project that has been set up to develop new certified reference materials and EQA materials to calibrate and verify the performance of in vitro diagnostics. In this work, we present new data from recent EQA survey using the WBB model to investigate its suitability as an EQA control material. Furthermore, we address issues that have been encountered in its use, drawing on the recent results of the EQA survey and the experience of our participants. In this context, we also suggest possible solutions to improve the performance of the WBB model. Methods The WBB model relies on two components: A solid bead containing a defined amount of glucose and a glucose-free whole blood matrix. The EQA survey participant places the bead in the whole blood matrix immediately before performing the POCT. We evaluated its suitability as an EQA material based on the results of the recent EQA survey. The glucose target value was determined using the reference measurement procedure and served as an evaluation criterion for the accuracy of the results of the EQA survey. Limitations of the WBB model were addressed based on the latest EQA survey results and the experiences of participants. Results Based on the reference measurement value for glucose, the results of the EQA survey showed an acceptable pass rate (approx. 65 %) for the participating POCT devices, with low inaccuracy (approx. -2 % bias) but a need for improvement in reducing imprecision (variation coefficient of approx. 13 %). Accordingly, new tubes with transparent labels for performing the EQA survey were introduced, as the variations in the results of the participants were associated with insufficient mixing of glucose beads and whole blood matrix. Conclusion The WBB model performs well in the latest EQA survey in terms of accuracy, representing a promising option for whole blood-based accuracy control for glucose POCT analyses. Continuous improvement of the WBB model regarding sample handling aims to reduce the current imprecision, enable a participant-friendly application in the EQA surveys, and thus ensure the accuracy and reliability of POCT glucose measurements for patient care. [1] Kaiser P, Kramer U, Rosenthal H, Genz C, Weiss N, Schellenberg I, Spannagl M. New concept for control material in glucose point-of-care-testing for external quality assessment schemes. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM). 2025;63(3): 552-558.