Page 133 - Buku Panduan Perkhidmatan MKAKB

1. INTRODUCTION

International and national procedures have been established for the safe transport of
biological materials by all modes of transportation (air, sea and land). Different packaging
and transport arrangement apply depending on whether materials are infectious substances,
biological products, cultures, genetically modified organism (GMO) or exempt substances.
The requirements of various regulatory bodies are based on the United Nations
Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Model Regulations which are
adopted by International Air Transportation Association (IATA) and Malaysian Standards
(MS1513).

It is the responsibility of sender to ensure compliance with all packaging and transport
regulations.

2. OBJECTIVE

This procedure is to ensure proper and safe transport of all biological materials including
environmental samples such as patients’ specimens, infectious substances, cultures, water
samples, clinical wastes and genetically modified organisms for all modes of transportation
(air, sea and land) to referral or other laboratories.

This procedure also ensures that the integrity of the specimens is preserved for accurate
analysis by the receiving laboratory.

3. SCOPE

This procedure will be used for packing and transporting of patients’ specimens, infectious
substances, cultures, clinical wastes and genetically modified organisms to the designated
Referral Laboratory in Malaysia and overseas.

4. DEFINITION

The following definitions align with the UN Model Regulations and are used in this Section:

4.1 Biological products

Products that are derived from living organisms, used either for prevention,
treatment, or diagnosis of diseases in humans or animals, or for developmental,
experimental or investigational purposes.

4.2 Patients’specimens:

Those collected directly from humans or animals, including, but not limited to, excreta
(feces & urine), secreta (body fluids), blood and its components, tissue (including
fresh tissue, preserved tissue, paraffin blocks and glass slides) and swabs, and body
parts being transported for purposes such as diagnosis, research, investigational
activities, disease treatment and prevention.

4.3 Cultures:

The result of a process by which living organisms are intentionally propagated. This
definition does not include patient specimens.

4.4 Dangerous Goods: