PerkinElmer, Inc, a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, has entered into a contract with ID Biological Systems of Greenville, South Carolina, USA, to become its exclusive, worldwide distributor for specimen collection cards used by newborn screening programmes worldwide. Hospitals and physicians use these dried blood spot cards to collect and transport blood specimens, which are later analyzed by public health laboratories. The agreement is intended to deliver a consistent, high-quality supply of sample collection cards designed to customer specifications in laboratories worldwide.

ID Biological Systems will produce the cards using Ahlstrom grade 226 filter paper which is manufactured to the CLSI standard for Blood Collection on Filter Paper for Newborn Screening programmes. The paper has been successfully tested to this standard by the CDC's Newborn Screening Quality programme and other third party testing facilities.

Gary Resler, health services consultant for the Newborn Screening Programme in the State of Washington has been using ID Biological Systems' specimen collection cards for samples processed in his laboratory for the past nine months. "A consistent supply of high-quality sample cards is an imperative in a public health laboratory processing hundreds of neonatal samples each day," said Resler. "ID Biological Systems has delivered this quality and consistency along with a tremendous level of service."

Newborn screening is used to detect congenital disorders, many of which are treatable only when identified during the first days of life. A significant number of these are treatable when detected, but fatal when not. PerkinElmer is the leader in neonatal screening worldwide.

"We saw the opportunity to partner with PerkinElmer, the leader in newborn screening, as a synergistic way to deliver timely, high-quality products to this market," said Brad Davin, founder of ID Biological Systems. "We are very pleased to be working together to best serve our mutual customers."

"To secure the supply and delivery of FDA-approved high-quality specimen cards is a priority for PerkinElmer and our newborn screening customers," said Ann-Christine Sundell, president, Genetic Screening, PerkinElmer. "This agreement expands our offering with a high-quality product, and provides IDB Systems with a strong and proven distribution channel for its product."

ID Biological Systems, founded by Brad Davin, brings more than 29 years of experience in this area. The company, which is ISO 9001 2008 certified, has the ability to design cards in single and multiple layer configurations.

PerkinElmer is a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment.