BGI VISTA™ Carrier Screening · geneticlab, United Arab Emirates
Accepted samples
Sample
Container
Volume
Storage
Stability
Peripheral blood
EDTA (purple top)
2–5 mL adults; 1–2 mL paediatric
2–8 °C
7 days refrigerated; 24 h at room temperature
Saliva
geneticlab saliva kit
To the fill line
Room temperature
30 days after capping and mixing
Extracted DNA
Screw-cap tube
≥2 µg, ≥20 ng/µL
−20 °C
By arrangement only
Blood collection
Draw 2–5 mL into an EDTA tube; invert gently 8–10 times. Do not shake.
Label at the bedside with full patient name, date of birth, MRN and collection date/time.
Refrigerate at 2–8 °C. Do not freeze whole blood.
Place in a biohazard bag with the completed requisition in the outer pocket.
Saliva collection
No food, drink, smoking or chewing gum for 30 minutes before collection.
Fill saliva (not bubbles) to the marked line, close the funnel lid to release the stabilising buffer, then cap and shake for 5 seconds.
Store and ship at room temperature.
Rejection criteria
Unlabelled or mismatched tubes · clotted or grossly haemolysed blood · frozen whole blood · insufficient volume · missing signed consent · saliva below the fill line · allogeneic bone-marrow transplant or transfusion within 14 days (use saliva or defer).
Logistics
Request courier pickup from geneticlab; same-day or next-day collection across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Ship blood with a cool pack (2–8 °C), never in direct contact with ice.
Both partners' samples should be submitted together where possible to enable couple-based reporting.