Offsite Collection Instructions

Whole blood sample must arrive in the laboratory within
three hours of specimen collection.

If transport time exceeds three hours, follow centrifugation
instructions:

• Samples must be centrifuged at >2500 x g for 10 minutes
  at room temperature.
• Carefully remove the plasma from the cells using a plastic
  transfer pipette avoiding the buffy coat.
• Aliquot removed plasma into 4 plastic tubes containing a
  minimum of 500 uL of specimen in each tube.
• The plasma samples must then be frozen at -20 C.
• Once solidly frozen, they must be shipped on dry ice.
  Samples that have thawed in transit will be rejected.

Note: For clients who do not have access to dry ice DO
NOT freeze the specimen. Follow the centrifugation instructions and
send fresh plasma or send whole blood sample. It now becomes
vital that the specimen arrives in the lab within three hours of
collection.