Specimen and shipping requirements

3billion accepts specimens as explained below, and we only proceed to test on specimens that meet the conditions specified.

1. Specimen type

DNA

• Acceptable specimen types:

  • The most appropriate type: DNA extraction from peripheral venous blood samples.
  • The following types are also acceptable: frozen blood, buccal swab, saliva, and cultured fibroblasts.

• Unacceptable specimen types:

  • Prenatal samples: chorionic villus, amniocyte, amniotic fluid and products of conception or abortus.
  • Tumors
  • Peripheral blood or saliva from patients with active hematologic malignancy in peripheral circulation.
  • Paraffin-embedded tissues

• Criteria:

  • A minimum of 2.0 µg of intact gDNA at 20 ng/µL and a volume of 100 µL is required in TE buffer. A260/A280 should be greater than 1.7.

• Container:

  • We accept 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tubes, 0.2 mL PCR tubes, and 2 mL microcentrifuge tubes with screw cap.

• Shipping temperature:

  • DNA should be shipped overnight at room temperature. If shipping from outside, including South Korea and hot-weather regions, we recommend including cold packs in your package.

Blood

• Acceptable specimen types:

  • Whole blood

• Unacceptable specimen types:

  • Hemolyzed or clotted blood
  • Blood from patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant
  • Blood from patients who received any blood product containing leukocytes within 2 weeks prior to specimen collection

• Criteria:

  • We require more than 1 mL of blood per patient.

• Container:

  • We accept only pink or purple-top tubes with EDTA

• Shipping temperature:

  • We recommend including cold packs in your package if:
    • The shipment cannot arrive at 3billion overnight
    • Shipping from outside South Korea or in hot weather
    • Shipping frozen blood
  • The testing cannot be carried out if:
    • The specimen is not cold enough at the time of arrival at 3billion laboratory.
    • There are any specious signs of specimen contamination such as blood leaking out of the container, crushed container, or unknown sediment present in the blood.

Buccal swab

• Collection kit:
  • We provide a buccal swab collection kit upon your request. Please contact support@3billion.io to get assistance with delivering the kits. There is no additional charge for requesting collection kits.
• Collecting and packing:
  • The instructions are enclosed in the kit on how to collect the specimen. Two swabs are used to collect the patient specimen. And, both swabs are broken into the tube containing the preservation buffer. 3billion ID should be labeled on the tube containing the preservation buffer, not on the plastic package.

2. Labeling

Each tube must be labeled with 3billion ID.
A printed copy of the requisition form and informed consent form must be submitted along with the specimen. The collection date and collection time must be filled out on your requisition form.

3. Shipping information

• Shipping address:
  3billion, 13F, 416, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea (06193)

3billion accepts packages Monday through Friday. If you are shipping outside South Korea, please send your sample on Monday or Tuesday so that we can manage and store your specimens with full attention.
International shipping requires three copies of commercial (proforma) invoice and a declaration form. Click the underlined words and download the sample commercial invoice and declaration form.

Please contact support@3billion.io to obtain the FedEx account number and send your specimens via FedEx for international shipping.
Additional shipping fee may be charged after the sample arrives 3billion office if the shipping weight was more than 0.5kg.

Kindly note that any tax charges to be imposed by the country where the order is placed, shall be borne by the ordering party.