Company asking customers to send medical samples outside the UK

NCISROCKS

As a qualified Microbioligist i'd be interested in what they claim they are being tested for? Some tests are not time critical at all. e.g. FOB screening.

texranger

the reason its not allowed internationally is that just say you have an infection so you send this to germany and it seeps out this could infect the germans, so their are very strict guidelines in this sort of international transportation. its like when you go on holiday and come back you are not allowed to bring food into the UK especially root food or meat/animal products

Atomik1

texranger wrote: »

the reason its not allowed internationally is that just say you have an infection so you send this to germany and it seeps out this could infect the germans, so their are very strict guidelines in this sort of international transportation. its like when you go on holiday and come back you are not allowed to bring food into the UK especially root food or meat/animal products

I quite agree. I wish I knew about this need to post abroad before I ordered. I am thinking that maybe its the HMRC concerning this issue? Might give them a call on Monday

Atomik1

NCISROCKS wrote: »

As a qualified Microbioligist i'd be interested in what they claim they are being tested for? Some tests are not time critical at all. e.g. FOB screening.

Many thanks for your response. It is really interesting to hear from a Microbiologist on this matter.

It was mainly gut tests such as yeast, leaky gut, Ph levels, bacteria levels, possible parasitic infection. Their representative assured me that having to transport them abroad, which Royal Mail estimate could take 3-7 working days (or more nearer Christmas), would have no effect upon the samples. I doubt that.

brettcta

i'm a microbiologist aswell (postgrad, specialising in parasitology)

the issue i have with this is from a consumer protection angle - it could be very easy to say you have X, Y & Z wrong with you and infecting your gut and then trying to rope you into buying excessively over-priced medication that you may not need.

most GPs get very little parasitology training and often miss the signs & symptoms associated with them. what grounds do you have to suspect it might be a parasitic infection?

take any results you get back with a pinch of salt and maybe confer with your gp before spending silly amounts on medication

visidigi

texranger wrote: »

the reason its not allowed internationally is that just say you have an infection so you send this to germany and it seeps out this could infect the germans, so their are very strict guidelines in this sort of international transportation. its like when you go on holiday and come back you are not allowed to bring food into the UK especially root food or meat/animal products

Thats not the reason - UPS/DHL/FedEx all carry biological samples, dry iced, or room temp - same risks you mention apply to them.

The courier services make significant amounts of their income off biological freight - the problem with postal services is they aren't tracked, therefore this is the reason - specifically as postal services cannot be sure where all freight is at all times...

shaun_from_Africa

Even if the specimins were to be sent via Royal mail in the UK only, I doubt very much if the packing supplied by the company concerned would meet the minimum standards needed for "Packing instruction 650".
This gives an extremely long list of requirements, some of which are:

The packaging must consist of three components:
(a)a primary receptacle(s);
(b)a secondary packaging; and
(c)a rigid outer packaging.

An itemized list of contents must be enclosed between the secondary packaging and the outer packaging.

There must be an approved label on the outside stating that the package is a "UN 3373 Biological Substance, Category B"

There are also minimum and maximum size restrictions, strength restrictions and a myriad of other requirements.

the reason its not allowed internationally

There is no legal restriction on sending the item in question overseas provided that it is packaged correctly and sent with a registered dangerous goods carrier.

SFA. (Certified dangerous goods certifier, handler and packer)

WhiteHorse

Why bother with a firm that sends outside the UK? Medichecks may offer the tests that you require. See their website.

visidigi

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Even if the specimins were to be sent via Royal mail in the UK only, I doubt very much if the packing supplied by the company concerned would meet the minimum standards needed for "Packing instruction 650".
This gives an extremely long list of requirements, some of which are:

The packaging must consist of three components:
(a)a primary receptacle(s);
(b)a secondary packaging; and
(c)a rigid outer packaging.

An itemized list of contents must be enclosed between the secondary packaging and the outer packaging.

There must be an approved label on the outside stating that the package is a "UN 3373 Biological Substance, Category B"

There are also minimum and maximum size restrictions, strength restrictions and a myriad of other requirements.


There is no legal restriction on sending the item in question overseas provided that it is packaged correctly and sent with a registered dangerous goods carrier.

SFA. (Certified dangerous goods certifier, handler and packer)

Biologicals are not all dangerous goods....the above would not apply to all biological shipments.

shaun_from_Africa

Biologicals are not all dangerous goods....the above would not apply to all biological shipments.

The examples I gave are those required for Packing Instruction 650 which is what RM state is needed for the sample in question to be posted within the UK.

Even though they may not be dangerous, they are still covered by the dangerous goods regulations (3.6 Toxic and infectious substances) and still have to packed and marked IAW the regulations.

3.6.2.1.4 Patient specimens are those collected directly from humans or animals, including, but not limited to, excreta, secreta, blood and its components, tissue and tissue fluid swabs, and body parts being transported for purposes such as research, diagnosis, investigational activities, disease treatment and prevention.