Specimen requirements and shipping
Find specimen collection, labeling, and shipping requirements for your patient’s test.
Required labeling
Improper or incomplete specimen labeling may delay specimen processing and testing.
Label each specimen tube/container with
- Collection date
- Two patient identifiers, such as:
- Patient name
- Date of birth
- MRN
- Patient ID
- Order number
For family studies
- Use identifiers for the individual being tested
- Clearly distinguish specimens from different family members
For prenatal testing
- Clearly distinguish fetal and maternal specimens
Specimen receiving schedule
We accept specimen deliveries Monday-Saturday.
Urgent/sensitive specimens
To help preserve specimen quality, we recommend that urgent and/or sensitive specimens arrive Tuesday-Thursday whenever possible.
Shipping guidance
- Ship sensitive specimens via overnight delivery whenever possible.
- Specimens shipped on Thursday should be sent for next-day delivery.
- Specimens shipped on Friday should be sent for Saturday delivery when available.
Important note
A Monday delivery may indicate that a specimen remained in transit over the weekend, which can affect specimen quality.
Sample collection kits in the U.S. and Canada include pre-paid return postage (does not include Saturday delivery). Kits ordered internationally will not include pre-paid return postage.
Mailing address
Specimen deliveries are accepted Monday–Saturday.
PreventionGenetics
Diagnostic Lab
3800 S. Business Park Ave.
Marshfield, WI 54449 USA
Specimen types
Recommended specimen volumes and quantities are provided to help ensure successful testing. If a specimen is submitted below the recommended amount, PreventionGenetics may still attempt testing; however, we cannot guarantee results, and the specimen may be depleted during the testing process.
Refer to the test description for accepted and preferred specimen types for the test being ordered. Different testing methods are validated for specific specimen types.
Specimen exceptions
Blood, buccal, saliva, or direct tissue specimens are not accepted for patients with any prior history of allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplant. In these cases, an alternative specimen, such as extracted DNA from cultured fibroblasts, is required.
These specimen types are also not recommended for patients with:
- An active hematologic malignancy, or
- Certain types of blood transfusion or a liver transplant within 4 weeks before specimen collection.
In these situations, results may be influenced by therapy, clonal hematopoiesis, residual or recurrent malignant cells, transient donor-derived cells, or other factors. Variants identified in these specimens may reflect somatic or donor-derived changes rather than the patient's germline status.
Responsibility for determining remission status rests with the ordering provider.
Specimen types we do not accept
- Formalin-fixed or paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE)
- Hair
- Nails
- Teeth
- Urine
- Bile
- Semen
- Vitreous humor
- Embalmed specimens
- Specimens placed into preservatives after collection
- Whole blood collected in heparin (green-top) tubes (unless FISH testing is ordered)
Refer to specific test requirements if you have questions about specimen acceptability.
Prenatal testing
Fetal and maternal specimens need clear and distinct labels to avoid confusion and allow for accurate testing of each sample.
When possible, ship prenatal samples to arrive at PreventionGenetics no later than Thursday.
Refer to our Prenatal Guidelines for information about prenatal testing.
Specimens collected in New York
Due to New York State Department of Health regulations, specimens from the State of New York must be discarded after testing unless longer retention is requested by the patient.
To retain a sample beyond 60 days, please submit the patient consent form.
DNA genotyping panel
For quality control purposes, the PreventionGenetics DNA Genotyping Panel is performed on all clinical specimens. Genotyping results are not included in test reports.
Please contact us with additional specimen requirement questions.
Assistance with at-home collection
Collection instructions are included with all home collection kits. Additional support resources and collection guidance are available online.
For questions regarding specimen collection, contact our Client Services team before returning your specimen.