Can anyone help me out? Our supplier will no longer make glass vacutainer tubes. Have the plastic replacements been OK'd by AABB for use?

Take a look at the manufacturer's directions for the reagents that you are using. They should indicate the sample requirements. AABB will be happy as long as you are following the manufacturer's directions.

BD plastic EDTA as well as Greiner plastic EDTA tubes have been FDA approved for use in blood banking.

Dawn,

Check with Paul Barros, sales rep in this area for BD. He says they are able to provide documentation of FDA approval, which the AABB will surely go along with. Unfortunately I don't have his phone# handy--I send it along if I find it!

Great topic,

I think it needs to be a combination of your reagent as well as the tube. I am at home now and don't readily have any manufactures inserts, I'll have to work on that , but I found this on BD's site (not to promote any one company over another). It was from their FAQ section.

Can the BD Vacutainer® Plus Plastic EDTA Tube be used for routine blood bank procedures?

Yes, the BD Vacutainer® K2EDTA Plus Plastic Tube has received routine FDA clearance for red cell grouping, Rh typing, and antibody screening.