DBS Retention Report

1-56 of 56 results
State/NBS Program DBS Retention Time DBS Storage Conditions
Alabama 3 months 2-8 degrees Celsius
Alaska 3 years Testing lab stores securely for 1 month at room temp then returned to AK for remaining time, securely, at room temp then destroyed.
American Samoa
Arizona 3 months - specimens of interest or positive may be kept without demographic information for QA/QC and training purposes Room Temperature. Abnormal and true positive samples are kept in freezer with desiccant pack
Arkansas 1 year -20°C with dessicant
California Indefinitely -20°C with dessicant
Colorado 6 months Stored at 2-8 C for 6 months.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Connecticut 3 years (2+current) Minus 80 freezer
Delaware 90 days Samples destroyed by laboratory after completion of testing -20°C with dessicant in sealed bags
District of Columbia 1 year Room Temperature
Florida 6 months Ambient temperature
Georgia 4 months for normal specimens and one year for abnormal specimens 4 °C
Guam one year
Hawaii 1 year Room Temperature
Idaho 18 Months per Idaho Administrative Rule Room Temperature
Illinois 2-6 months A) Refrigerator; B) Abnormal (positives) moved to freezer after 1 month.
Indiana 6 months or 3 years room temperature or cooler
Iowa 5 years 1 year at -80 °C then an additional 4 years at room temperature
Kansas 30 days from specimen receipt (confirmed cases are de-identified and stored indefinitely) -10°C or colder
Kentucky 2 months Frozen (-20 degrees Celsius)
Louisiana 1 month Refridgerated
Maine Indefinitely -20 (Freezer)
Maryland 25 years 4C (Refrigerated)
Massachusetts 15 years -20 (Freezer)
Michigan 35 years Room temperature until December 2008. January 2009 thru September 2010 stored at -20C within 90 days. After October 2010 stored at -20C within 14 days of testing.
Minnesota o State statute allows indefinite storage of dried blood spots specimens. Current practice is to store dried blood spots for 5-6 years. -20C (frozen) with dessicant
Mississippi 1 year
Missouri 5 years (unless a parent opts out of storage) -20 °C to -30 °C with dessicant
Montana 1 year -20 (Freezer)
Nebraska 3 months Refrigerated
Nevada 6 months-1 year Room Temperature
New Hampshire 6 months -20 (Freezer)
New Jersey 2 years as of Nov 1, 2024 Room Temperature / Not Air Conditioned
New Mexico 1 year Room air
New York Up to 27 years Refrigerated
North Carolina 5 years Room temperature
North Dakota Age 18 Stored in secure temperature controlled room
Ohio 2 years -20 °F
Oklahoma up to 42 days Refrigerated
Oregon 1.5 years (18 months) Room Temperature
Pennsylvania 1 year -20 °C
Puerto Rico 2 years or the time required to dispose correctly the samples 4 degrees celsius
Rhode Island 23 years
South Carolina Specimens are stored for approximately 12 months. After that time they are destroyed in a scientifically acceptable manner. Specimens from infants diagnosed with a condition identified through screening may be stored for a longer period of time Stored specimens are kept in a -20 degree C freezer
South Dakota 1 month Room Temperature
Tennessee 1 year, confirmed positives indefinitely 2-8 °C for those reported as normal; -20 °C for confirmed postives
Texas By default, up to two years. With valid parental decision form indicating OK, up to 25 years. Room temperature; Diagnosed cases and some presumptive positives stored at –15 to –25º
US Virgin Islands
Utah Minimum 90 days, Consent for Retention of sample is required with parent signature to either destroy the sample at 90 days or allow storage for 7 years Room Temperature for 7 days, then -20 °C
Vermont One year unless parent requests otherwise -20 °C
Virginia Normal samples: stored for 6 months, Abnormals: stored for 10 years ambient temperature
Washington 21 years Room temperature
West Virginia 3 months room temperature
Wisconsin 1 year 4-8 °C
Wyoming 6 months Room Temperature