TABLE 10.

Specimen stability and temperature information from manufacturers

Manufacturer/distributor	Device	Specimen stability and temperature information
Eiken*/Polymedco†	OC-Auto Micro 80 FOB Test System	Manufacturer states specimens are stable for 15 days at 15°C–30°C and 30 days at 2°C–8°C.
Eiken/Polymedco	OC-Sensor DIANA IFOB Test System	There are also data that show the specimen can be kept for less than 3 days at 29°C–34°C but can be kept for at least 10–14 days at −18°C to −24°C
Alfresa Pharma Corporation‡/Inverness Medical§	I-FOBT Hemoglobin NS-Plus	Manufacturer’s marketing materials indicate the specimen is 95% stable for 7 days at 25°C, after 2 days at 37°C stability drops to 90% then to 80% after 7 days, stable for 30 days at −40°C, and after 2 days at 7°C stability drops to 90% but stays at this for 20 days
Beckman Coulter¶	Hemoccult ICT, Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test (also known as Flexsure OBT)	Manufacturer instructions say specimen is stable after sampling for 14 days at 15°C–30°C
Eiken/Polymedco	OC-Light Manual IFOBT	Manufacturer states the specimen is stable for 15 days at 15°C–30°C or 30 days at 2°C–8°C
Inverness Medical	Clearview Ultra FOB Test	Manufacturer states that specimen can be stored at 15°C–30°C for up to 5 days or 2°C–8°C for up to 14 days.
Medix Biochemica**	Actim Fecal Blood Test	Manufacturer states that specimen is stable for up to 7 days at 2°C–25°C
PSS World Medical††	Consult Diagnostic Occult Blood Test Extra Sensitive	Unknown.
Artron‡‡	One Step Fecal Occult Blood Test	Manufacturer instructions state the test should be developed immediately and read within 10 min to 15 min. No information on storage if not developed immediately.
IND Diagnostic§§/BTNX¶¶	Rapid Response One-Step Fecal Occult Blood Test	Manufacturer instructions state if not developed straight away the specimen is stable up to 7 days at 37°C. This is intended to be a physician-developed test (although not licensed for this currently) but is suitable and licensed for laboratory development
Tremblay Harrison***	Minute Lab Fecal Occult Blood Test Device	Manufacturer instructions intend for the test to be developed within 6 h of collecting specimen; if not developed within 6 h, specimen is stable at 2°C–8°C for 3 days
WHPM Bioresearch & Technology†††	Hemosure Immunological Fecal Occult Blood Test	Manufacturer instructions intend for the test to be developed by the patient immediately but if not the specimen is stable at 2°C–8°C but they do not state for how long
Innovacon‡‡‡	FOB One Step Fecal Occult Blood Test	Manufacturer instructions intend for the test to be developed by the patient within 1 h, but if not it will be stable for 3 days at 15°C–30°C

^*Eiken Chemical Company Ltd, Japan;

^†Polymedco Inc, USA;

^‡Alfresa Pharma Corporation, Japan;

^§Inverness Medical, Canada;

^¶Beckman Coulter Inc, USA;

^**Medix Biochemica, Finland;

^††PSS World Medical Inc, USA;

^‡‡Artron Bioresearch, Canada;

^§§IND Diagnostic Inc, Canada; BNTX Inc, Canada;

^***Tremblay Harrison Inc, USA;

^†††WHPM Bioresearch & Technology Inc, USA;

^‡‡‡Innovacon Inc, USA. FOB Fecal occult blood