Can safety assurance procedures in the food industry be used to evaluate a medical screening programme? The application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system to an antenatal serum screening programme for Down's syndrome. Stage 1: identifying significant hazards.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Routine review of the Leicestershire district antenatal screening programme for Down's syndrome was carried out by its steering group. This raised suspicions that there were problems with the delivery of the programme. The steering group commissioned a project to adapt the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, as used in the food industry, to investigate this.