Do y'all use any particular brand of adhesive labels, specifically 4x4 ISBTs, that manage to survive through the "sweat"/condensation of temp. fluctuations?

It seems the labels we currently use have problems properly sticking to our RBC products when it comes to moisture (especially during the summertime). Wiping with gauze or a towel doesn't seem to completely solve the problem.

Interestingly enough, it seems the units we order from the Red Cross have labels that stick fairly well, and even hold on to additional modification labels placed over the existing labels.

Or, is this basically one of those seemingly meaningless, yet daunting, problems that don't have a fix?

There are FDA rules for the type of adhesives we can use for blood products.  Here are a couple. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=175.125
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=175.105

I know of at least on Boston facility that is looking to change their label stock to one that is still FDA approved, and yet adhere better. 

While not endorsing anyone, we use digitrax labels.  We also have a robust pre-qualification/label adherence protocol to ensure that they will stay put in all situations.  We also ensure that these labels meet the FDA regs for adhesive.

We’re glad our labels are working for you! If you have any questions down the road, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 800-356-6126 or info@digi-trax.com

Hello, we get our units from American red cross, they did not like us to place stickers on their units, when we return units to them, we may have damaged their unit info rendering them unuseable by removing our label... so we place labels on strung manila shipping tags then attach to unit of blood. , can be purchased at any office supply store. we use 4X4 isbt labels also.

We use hang tags that we have printed for us. They have a header with our facility logo and name/address and a big blank spot on the front to receive a 4 x 4 label printed from our BBIS. The back of the tag has info for recognition of transfusion reactions, response to transfusion reactions (in a nutshell), and blood product handling instructions. Works well and no stickers on unit face to cause problems.

On ‎7‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 8:57 AM, tcoyle said:

While not endorsing anyone, we use digitrax labels.  We also have a robust pre-qualification/label adherence protocol to ensure that they will stay put in all situations.  We also ensure that these labels meet the FDA regs for adhesive.

What sort of protocol do you enact to test the qualifications for adherence? Different temperatures, environments?

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 12:17 PM, Karen knight said:

Hello, we get our units from American red cross, they did not like us to place stickers on their units, when we return units to them, we may have damaged their unit info rendering them unuseable by removing our label... so we place labels on strung manila shipping tags then attach to unit of blood. , can be purchased at any office supply store. we use 4X4 isbt labels also.

We seldom return units back to the ARC, if ever... this is mainly just a problem with our own units. However, ARC units that do get modified in a way that changes their outdate do get an updated label on top of the existing one, and that our in-house label sticks better when on an ARC label compared to an in-house stuck to an in-house (just an interesting observation).

We have a label adherence validation that we do with the label and bag set; so we validate that the label will adhere in all conditions that it may incur.  That could be anything from the blast freezer to a microwave for thawing and of course refrigerator/RT/Freezer conditions.  We do this with any new label stock that we would receive prior to putting it into use.  We basically test the label as it goes thru the manufacturing, storage and processing life cycle.