If a participant has consented to provide blood samples for the study, please collect 4-8ml of blood using standard venipuncture techniques and using a suitable EDTA tube (most sites use the purple EDTA tubes but you may use whatever you use locally in your hospitals). The blood sample should be taken at the time that the participant agrees to be part of the Registry. If it is not possible to take a sample on this occasion, this can be done on the next outpatient or hospital visit as arranged between the staff and the participants.
The sample should be clearly labelled with the participant Registry Identification Code (RIC) as well as the date of venepuncture.
Please ensure that the blood samples are packaged securely with the correct labelling on the envelopes/boxes. Details can be found in the following website:
https://www.fedex.com/en-gb/shipping-channel/preparing-shipment/dangerous-goods/biological-substances-category-b.html
If dispatching is possible within 24 hours, it can be kept at room temperature.
If shipping will happen in 1 to 3 days, please keep the sample in a medical fridge (about 5 ⁰C).
Do not consider sending blood sample on Friday or a day before a bank holiday.
When sending blood samples to the registry study laboratory, please fill in a 'Specimen transfer form' and enclose it with the delivery. Upon receipt of the blood samples, a member of the registry team will complete page 2 of the specimen transfer form, confirming date of receipt and number of samples received and email it back to the relevant research team.
The samples should then be sent to: