Evidence Shipment

Please follow the directions below for shipment of evidence for DNA testing at Orchid Cellmark. If you have any questions or need clarification on the instructions, please contact customer service at forensicservices@orchid.com or call 1-800-USA-LABS (872-5227).

1. All samples should be hand carried on a business day or shipped by priority overnight courier service on a business day, but never over a weekend or holiday.
   
2. All shipments should be accompanied by a case submission letter attached to the outside of the package, addressed to the attention of the Forensic Laboratory.
   
3. DRIED STAINS: Dried stains should be packaged separately and shipped in a sealed box or sealed envelope at room temperature by priority overnight courier service, but never over a weekend or holiday. It is preferred to ship only the stained portion of clothing rather than the entire garment. The suspected stain should be clearly marked.
   
4. UNDRIED TISSUE: To avoid putrifaction during shipping, tissue, organ, bone, and liquid urine samples (in plastic tubes) should be shipped in a sealed plastic container placed on abundant dry ice in styrofoam containers by priority overnight courier service, but never over a weekend or holiday.
   
5. LIQUID BLOOD STANDARDS: All liquid known whole blood standards should be packaged separately in styrofoam tube packages or wrapped individually in bubble wrap and secured with tape. The individually wrapped tubes of blood should be placed in a cardboard box surrounded by styrofoam chips for protection from breakage. Liquid known whole blood samples should be shipped at room temperature by priority overnight courier service, but never over a weekend or holiday. Never ship liquid blood on dry ice because the glass tubes will break.
   
6. BLOOD STANDARDS WITH HIV OR HEPATITIS: Blood standards from persons diagnosed with HIV or hepatitis should be shipped using a Class 6.2/95 CAN/8-2SAF-T-PAK container with the proper Federal Express shipping tag for dangerous goods. Blood standards should be shipped at room temperature by priority overnight courier service, but never over a weekend or holiday. Never ship liquid blood on dry ice because the glass tubes will break.

Some packaging suppliers for the 6.2 substances including blood infected with HIV or hepatitis are listed below.

• Source Packaging (sells SAF-T-PAK and offers 6.2 specialty training. Contact Rick Ferris (401) 738-7733.)
  
• Federal Industries (sells SAF-T-PAK, (800) 523-9033)
  
• Labelmaster (3M pack and others pending, (800) 621-5800)
  
• All Pak (attention: Bill Barger, (800) 245-2283)