Re: Dry Ice Shipping

[Guest guest]

Dear Geoff,

A. What you are saying is exactly right. In fact today I drew the

blood, centrifuge, new where to get the ice, where to buy styro

(somebody tell me brief (privately ?) if this word is OK …) and how

to glue the box ... the night before talked with the Lab, printed

labels, wrote letter, arranged for payment, etc, etc, I was

committed to SHIP TODAY when DHL told me THEY DO NOT SHIP DRY ICE !!!

(I did ask before for a different probe which only required travel

packs ..., so I though I am OK, ... only to have a NASTY

SURPRISE ...!

Why is DHL doing this " to me " , HOW DO YOU SHIP THERE, IS NOT THE

SAME REGULATION?

So far the labs here told me they DO ship BUT on wheels, in fridges,

when they ship. I am not saying that they do not do it AT ALL, but

apparently is not VERY popular at first …

What you commented is great for this topic, THANK YOU !

B. SURPRISE: Being hit by that surprise and blocked, I called over

50 labs here in Bucharest today. To my surprise, I actually managed

to FIND where to get Vitamin D 25-HYDROXY done (is not so simple or

fast, but they say they are doing it, and doing it RIGHT for many

years …. 1.25 DIHYDROXY remains a problem, I will keep you posted …

> (Was Re: RA from UTI?)

>

> Hi ! Geoff here.

>

> > PS: I will ask again if anyone has experience with how to pack

> > blood /serum with Dry Ice (Solid CO2...), I posted my current

> > understanding at

> > http://www.philfrisk.net/~adrian/lab_tests_shipping_issues.htm .

> > Right now I noticed the server was not accessible at least from

my

> > end ... a minute later was ... I think is OK and grateful, being

new

> > with me and the issue so important please let me know how it

works

> > for you ... Thanks ...!

>

> Your question is not as simple as it appears at first blush. It

is a " lab "

> issue and the specifics change with different types of tests and

sera.

> Instead of " one way " to package sera w/dry ice, there are " this

way " for

> this test and " that way " for that test and " the other way " for the

other

> test, etc. For instance, your web site lists " frozen samples " but

dry ice

> is not necessarily used for frozen samples, it is often used for

> refrigerated samples which specifically cannot be frozen.

>

> Your lab needs to be in contact with the assessing lab for the

particulars

> on how to pack the sera properly, ship methods, which type of vial

to use

> for storage, spin-down requirements, etc. Link them up and let

them work

> out the details on handling. Dry ice packing is no big deal, but

the

> sending lab (your end) will have to make arrangements with the dry

ice

> provider and the assessing lab will have to instruct your lab on

the

> pre-packing sera storage details, i.e., can it refrigerate

overnight? Is

> there a temperature range for storage? Does it need to go on dry

ice and

> ship within " x " hours, etc.

>

> Again, these are lab issues. You are best served by either (a)

putting the

> two labs in direct contact or; ( facilitating direct contact

between the

> two labs by obtaining the necessary details from the assessing lab

and

> giving them to your lab along with specific contact information.

>

> Of course, all of this assumes one is not a phlebotomist and does

not have

> their own lab; one does not have a centrifuge; one does not have

or have

> access to red, green or blue-top vials and the various vial types,

e.g.,

> plastic, glass, treated, coated, etc.; one does not have access to

dry ice

> and biohazard packaging materials; one does not licensed or

permitted for

> biohazard shipment; etc. If one meets these and the other

miscellany

> attached to the issue, then all of the above is naught but clutter

and one

> need merely make direct contact with the assessor lab for their

specific

> requirements.

>

> Regards,

>

> Geoff

[Guest guest]

:

> [snip] when DHL told me THEY DO NOT SHIP DRY ICE !!!

> HOW DO YOU SHIP THERE, IS NOT THE SAME REGULATION?

FEDEX / UPS

Styro - short for Styrofoam, perfectly acceptable abbreviation for the

internet.

Geoff

[Guest guest]

Dear Geoff,

You suggested UPS and FedEx in addition to DHL which I already

contacted.

Thank you for your suggestions,

The Good News: Thanks to you I immediately called Telephone

Directory Assistance and found UPS and FedEx in Romania (I was not

aware they are available here ...)

The Bad News: UPS, same as DHL, DO NOT SHIP DRY ICE (Frozen CO2) ,

AND THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL RULE Customer Service tells me ... !

How on Earth they do ship it for you?

A. Is it probably because " locally " they can do it on wheels, while

from here (Romania) it must be over the air ?

B. You might do it in collaboration with your local medical labs ...

The bad News for me is that until now I could not find a lab who

maintains International connections (I am not saying such things are

not being done for VIP's at least, but at large the labs do not

routinely do such shipments ... THEY DO SHIP NATIONALLY, AND THIS

IS BEING DONE ON WHEELS, WITH DEDICATED REFRIGERATORS ... !

FedEx did not answer today as it was quite late (most of this Giants

only are open Mo to Fr 8 to 18, Sat Sun closed ...).

Regards,

> :

>

> > [snip] when DHL told me THEY DO NOT SHIP DRY ICE !!!

> > HOW DO YOU SHIP THERE, IS NOT THE SAME REGULATION?

>

> FEDEX / UPS

>

> Styro - short for Styrofoam, perfectly acceptable abbreviation for

the

> internet.

>

> Geoff

[Guest guest]

,

We air-ship over US air space. I cannot address international shipping nor

EU air space restrictions. Best suggestions, try their Web sites, e.g.,

www.fedex.com.

A lot of people here in the USA think the rest of the world is just like us.

It's not. I can fly dry ice shipments coast-to-coast, no problem. But

where you are transiting just a distance the length of California is a major

problem. You may want to check your telephone or business services

directories, or the Internet. Sorry I can't be of further help.

Geoff

[Guest guest]

Dear Geoff,

Thank You for your kind reply.

Yes, apparently IT IS a major difference in SHIPPING RULES ...

As stated before I found a (slim) chance of getting this test done

right here in Bucharest /Romania, it may be local and even free of

charge, is however tied with IF's and BUT's, ... so my sister who

lives in Germany and also happens to be a nurse is offering help.

She talked to a Lab that does the Vitamin D Testing as per Marshall

Protocol (is 20 Euro each and performed routinely, I do not know

what are they really using it for, in the US the price was 57 US$

each ...), mails me original glass tubes (how do you call those

correctly in English, eprubetes ?), I will DHL mail them not

refrigerated, it is being said to make one day Bucharest to

furt, USA labs and Marshall sources state such probes resist 3

days in room temperature, same 3 days in refrigerated conditions and

6 months to one year in frozen conditions ...

Well, I will have to wait until after the New Years Eve, but

apparently there is NO WAY around it ...

It worms my hart the fact you cared enough to investigate this

options in my behalf ... THANK YOU, and I look forwards to staying

in touch with you ... Regards, .

> ,

>

> We air-ship over US air space. I cannot address international

shipping nor

> EU air space restrictions. Best suggestions, try their Web sites,

e.g.,

> www.fedex.com.

>

> A lot of people here in the USA think the rest of the world is

just like us.

> It's not. I can fly dry ice shipments coast-to-coast, no

problem. But

> where you are transiting just a distance the length of California

is a major

> problem. You may want to check your telephone or business services

> directories, or the Internet. Sorry I can't be of further help.

>

> Geoff