• Wash hands with warm water for at least 1–2 minutes or rub them together to improve blood flow.
• Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water the day before and the day of collection to promote good circulation.
• Sit in a comfortable position with your hand below heart level to encourage blood flow.
• Take deep breaths and stay relaxed to avoid tensing up.

The ring finger or middle finger is generally recommended, as they provide good blood flow.

The number of spots required depends on the specific test, but generally, 3–5 well-sized spots are recommended.

• For Cytokines/CRP/HbA1c (duplicate testing): A minimum of two full, well-sized spots is required, with an additional spot recommended for potential retesting (total of three spots).
• For more than three biomarkers: It is recommended to fill all six spots on the DBS card to ensure sufficient sample volume for testing and any potential retests.
• Each spot should be fully filled for accurate analysis.

• Lay the cards flat in a clean, dry area away from direct sunlight or heat for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Avoid stacking cards to prevent contamination.

• After complete drying, store the DBS cards in a Ziploc bag with a desiccant to prevent moisture buildup, which can affect sample quality.
• The cards can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week, but after a week, it is best to store them in a freezer -20c
• Maintaining cold chain management from post-drying through storage and shipping is important for preserving gold standard sample integrity

The cards can be bagged individually or be stored together (10 max per Ziploc bag with desiccant)

At this time, we do not recommend shipping DBS samples at room temperature.

• Use a Styrofoam container with an outer cardboard box and include frozen gel packs.
• An insulated mailer can be used to maintain the cold chain and protect sample integrity.

• No, all shipping documentation should list the contents as “Non-Infectious Exempt Human Specimens.”
• Label the external shipping container as “Exempt Human Specimens.”
• No additional shipping markings are required.

Yes, but export/import permits may be required depending on the destination country.

Touching the blood spots can contaminate the sample. If you accidentally touch a spot, try using a different one.

Ensure you are not squeezing your finger too hard, as this can affect sample quality. Also, be sure not to put blood on top of an already collected spot.

If the sample is improperly collected, it is best to repeat the collection on a different spot.

• The blood spot card should have large, fully filled circles.
• The spots should be evenly saturated without clots or smears.
• There should be no overlapping spots.

DBS samples are stable when stored at -20C for both short and long term storage. However, you can choose to store them with your saliva samples at -20C for short term storage and -80C for long term storage (over 6 months) if you want to keep samples together or storage temperatures consistent.

DBS samples remain highly stable when stored in the freezer. Research from Dr. McDade confidently supports stability for up to one year.

We recommend standard overnight at minimum for the highest sample quality.