| Forensic DNA Testing Samples Shipping Instructions |
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All forensic DNA testing samples should be hand-deliverd or shipped overnight using a courier that provides a tracking number, such as Federal Express. Ship samples on Monday through Thursday only. Shipping of forensic samples is not included in the quoted fee. If you are collecting a biological forensic specimen for forensic DNA testing, be sure to keep it dry prior to submitting it to BRT Laboratories, Inc. Do not place the item in a plastic bag and do not freeze or refrigerate the item unless it is tissue, urine, or fresh bone. Biological specimens on items such as clothing or cloth (bed sheet, swab, etc.) should be placed in a paper bag, not plastic. DO NOT FREEZE. Urine samples should be shipped in a screw-top container and placed in a plastic bag. It should be well padded and shipped in a box. During the summer, samples should be shipped on ice. Blood samples should be collected and shipped in a Vacutainer™ tube and placed into a plastic bag. The sample should be well padded inside the shipping package. Blood can also be spotted onto medical gauze and air-dried. The gauze should be sent in the original package. Hair specimens should be sent in a small resealable bag if not being submitted as part of a rape kit or crime scene kit. Hairs must have the root ball attached, and one to five hairs per person should be sent. Hair from different people must not be put into the same bag. Tissue specimens including fetal tissue or products of conception must be sent on ice. Bone specimens, if dry, can be sent at room temperature. If fresh, they should be shipped on ice. Paraffin samples can be sent at room temperature. |