In other parts of Canada, medical labs have come under fire for bungling tests and misdiagnosing cancer. But a new program developed in part here in British Columbia is helping labs improve their accuracy.

At Vancouver General Hospital's pathology lab, researchers have developed a national first. It's a new way to better diagnose breast cancer.

"This is the first time that it was possible for people from across Canada to participate in this way. So new technology, a new opportunity,'' said Dr. Blake Gilks, anatomic pathology at Vancouver General Hospital.

The new technology is an Interent-based quality assurance program. It allows labs across the country to easily measure the accuracy of their cancer tests by comparing them to standardized samples developed here in B.C.

Now they can look at dozens of samples at one time.

The more samples that are compared, the better the chances are that errors will be detected. The aim is to ensure that someone with cancer will receive the right diagnosis. It's something that doesn't always happen.

"Maybe ten per cent of patients were getting a negative result when it was actually a weak positive, but with lab testing they wouldn't know,'' said Gilks.

Incorrect results ended in tragedy in the Maritimes in 2005. Over 1,000 breast cancer patients were mis-diagnosed over eight years. In the end, 332 women died.

"I think people take it for granted that their lab testing will be that good. And it's only when you have these bad results brought forward, as have been recently, that you think, maybe they aren't quite so good,'' said Gilks.

The Maritime deaths triggered a government inquiry and prompted labs across Canada to review their testing procedures. It's hoped -- the new web-based system -- will help prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

"Everybody gets the strong positives. Everybody gets the negatives. What's been lacking is the ability to get the weak positives. And if you're one of those patients you're not getting the accurate results necessarily,'' said Gilks.

The goal is to help make sure patients are correctly diagnosed -- so the very best treatment can be given to help save their life.

Every day is making sure you're giving the right results. And knowing that if you don't it's going to impact people.

Meanwhile, the researchers say their quality assurance program makes B.C. one of the best places in North America for women to receive the correct diagnosis of breast cancer.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low.