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FOREWORD

The purpose of developing this Standard operating procedure is as a reference for
Ministry of Health Malaysia hospital laboratories. It is timely that a standard
operating procedure be made available as a reference for transportation of any
biological specimens by air or surface. This is to ensure that the biological
specimens are packaged and handled in a suitable manner to safeguard the
health, safety and welfare of employees handling the pathological specimens and
also to ensure that the specimens are packaged in suitable receptacles and
maintained under suitable environmental conditions for transport.

Biological specimens may contain infectious materials and can be the potential
source of an outbreak. It is important that care is taken when collecting and
handling the specimens to ensure that the risk of infection to staff is kept to an
absolute minimum. The packaged material should not have any possibility of
escaping from the package under normal conditions of transport.

The responsibility for the safe collection and packaging of biological specimens
shall not rest entirely upon the sender. It is imperative that all areas where
pathological specimens are generated be it histopathology, chemical pathology,
haematology and microbiology, remain conversant with the current rules,
regulations and up to date safety code of practice. This includes the Biosafety act,
the importation and exportation of organism guideline, Ministry of Health Malaysia,
and the guidelines by International Air Transport Association.

I would like to thank the editorial board and the professionals from multidisciplines
in the Pathology services, Ministry of Health Malaysia for their contributions in
developing this standard operating procedure.

Dr Shahnaz Murad
Head of Pathology Services and
Director, Institute for Medical Research
Ministry of Health Malaysia
2012

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