Dear All,

Apologies for the delay in summarizing the responses I got to my enquiry about non-dry-ice based frozen sample transport.

I received 6 replies from 5 hospitals. One hospital uses Sarstedt prefreeze boxes, but only for cross-site transport – guaranteed for 12 hours only.

The remaining 5 replies referred to Biopackaging’s Biofreeze system, holds samples frozen for 48 h when used correctly- see link on reply 1 below. They are quite expensive, so several users have set up a system for the referral labs to return the Biofreeze bottles by post.

If anyone has data showing how many times these biofreeze bottles can be used, and what indication you get that the bottle is not holding it’s temperature, please could you share that data with me?

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Carys Lippiatt

1. Dear Dr Lippiatt,

We had similar issues regarding the cost of sending samples on dry ice so last year changed to sending the majority of our frozen samples using "bio-freeze" boxes.

The supplier is Bio-packaging LTD, Coventry (http://www.biopackaging.co.uk/biofreeze.html)

To purchase the box : cost £27.50 (+ VAT) per bottle + box.

The cost of sending the boxes relates to the weigh of the filled box however on average the cost is ~£20. We enclose a postage franking slip (pre-paid postage label) to ensure the box is returned. This costs £7.68. We also include a letter asking the receiving laboratory to use the pre-paid slip to return the box. So far all the boxes have been returned.

The technical information accompanying the bio-freeze boxes state they are for single usage. However, we have used some of our bottles/boxes at least 5 times with the samples remaining frozen. The bottles are fine but boxes do however look at bit bashed.

To use the bottles all you need to do is remove the screw-top, shake the bottle for ~30 seconds and put it into the miuns 70 oC until you need to send it off (Ideally 24 hr at -70 oC).

I hope this information is of some use. It has significantly reduced the cost of our send-away-samples as we no longer have to use couriers.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate in contact me.

Best Wishes

Jane McNeilly

Dr Jane McNeilly

Clinical Biochemist

Royal Hospital for Sick Children

Dalnair Street

Yorkhill

Glasgow

G3 8SJ

0141 201 0344 (Yorkhill) or 4011 (Southern General)

note new email address : [log in to unmask]

2. We use Biofreeze boxes

They cost ~£39

Although they claim single use, we give postage and get them back 3-4 times for re-use

Go by mail

Peter Galloway

3. Dear Carys,

NHS Fife have been using Bio-freeze bottles for a couple of years now.

http://www.biopackaging.co.uk/bio-freeze-bottle-system

We pre-freeze the bottle overnight in the -80oC freezer. Testing before we started to use them indicated that samples remained frozen for 48hrs+.

Regards

Heather

Dr Heather Holmes

Locum Principal Biochemist

Victoria Hospital

Kirkcaldy

KY2 5AG

01592 648175

4. For Attention of Lippiatt Carys re: Frozen sample transport,

We at Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, use Bio-freeze packaging. These are large containers weighing about 3 Kg, supplied by Biopackaging Limited, with full instructions. From our experience, the frozen sample are stay frozen for up to 72 hrs.

We post all our frozen samples in these containers to the recipient lab on a Wednesday via TNT for next day (Thursday) delivery, enclose a pre-stamped letter for return of this container as these are fairly expensive. We also ring the laboratory as to the sample and request and also reminding them that we would like our container back. We log our containers and their destination in case we have to chase one up.

From our experience, over the last two years, we have managed to lose one.

Overall, a lot cheaper option than the Taxi service or any other form of transport.

If you require any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Hope this is of help regarding your inquiry.

Gurmit Tamber,

Chief BMS.

1527 86

5. Dear Carys

We use an excellent frozen container by Biofreeze. We have put a system in place that our referral labs must return the containers to us.

Kind regards

Jessica Schroeder

Principal Biochemist

Alexandra Hospital

Redditch

6. Sarstedt have a frozen sample transporter, prefreeeze (transporter and sample), will keep sample frozen for approx 12 hours. Outer polystyrene container, then cardboard box. Two samples, reusable. We use between hospital sites, not mail. Dry ice only alternative for mail, and that opens a can of (Dangerous Goods Transport Regs) worms.

Regards

David Wright

Antrim Laboratory