Ireland – Storage and retrieval services – NAT laboratory archive storage and services.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service tests approximately 140,000 donations per annum. There is a mandatory requirement to retain a plasma archive sample (current sample tube: Becton-Dickinson Vacutainer 6 ml Plasma Preparation Tube 13x100 mm) for each donation that is issued for use, the archive samples are retained frozen for a period of 10 years. Archive samples are initially stored in on-site freezers at the National Blood Centre (NBC) before being transferred to long term off-site storage. Archive samples are stored frozen at -30oC (range -20oC to - 40oC). To ensure that the samples remain suitable for further testing if required this storage temperature must be maintained at all stages of handling of archive samples, from transport to the off-site storage facility to long term storage. A fully validated temperature control and monitoring system is required. Temperature data must be supplied to the IBTS as required.