We also noted the announcement to the press of the DH-
sponsored pilot screening programme.
Our interests, however, differed slightly from Jonathan Kay's - are
the Royal Mail aware that individual members of the public are
likely to be slipping 'dirty postcards' into the inland post? Are stool
specimens not 'likely to contain risk group 1-3 organisms', and
thus breach their new regulations (still scheduled to be enforced
from 1 April for infectious materials)?
Presumably members of the public indulging in 'osteoporosis
screening' tests are unlikely to be 'infectious', so Superdrug will be
in the clear?
We have been unable to obtain clear guidance (though Royal Mail
did not seem particularly enamoured last year about handling
enveloped faecal specimens), and therefore suspect that others will
have had similar problems so any definitive comments (especially
from the labs which will be receiving these specimens) would be
welcome!
We still maintain that EQA materials tested to the same extent as
transfusions should be classified as 'non-infectious biological
products', and thus outside the scope of IATA and Royal Mail
restrictions.
Dr David Bullock
Director, Wolfson EQA Laboratory
P O Box 3909, Birmingham B15 2UE, U K
FAX: 0121 414 1179 [+44 121 414 1179]
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