This article will outline the steps and instructions to complete at home lab testing.
Please note this testing option is currently only available for select patients in Alberta.
Table of contents:
- Getting started
- What's in your kit
- How to return your kit
- Sample collection instructions
- Why testing is necessary
- Need support?
Getting started
Before you begin: Wash your hands with soap and water, and lay everything out on a clean, flat surface. Only open each test when you're ready.
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⚠ Important: Prevent invalid lab results Ensure your full legal name and date of birth is on every patient label |
What's in your kit
Bag 1: Dried Blood Spot (DBS)
- 1 yellow envelope
- 1 blood card with patient label
- 1 liquids absorber pack
- 2 alcohol pads
- 2 lancets
- 2 cotton balls
- 2 bandaids
- 1 double-sided requisition form
Bag 2: Swabs & Urine
- 2 collection swabs
- 2 labeled orange throat & rectal swab transport tubes
- 1 lidless urine collection cup
- 1 yellow urine collection kit
- 1 pipette
- 1 yellow urine transport tube
- 1 patient label for urine transport tube
- 1 liquids absorber pack
- 1 requisition form
How to return your kit
Important - before you return your kit:
- Write date & time on requisition forms. The lab will reject your sample if it's missing. For the double-sided form, write the same date and time on both sides.
- Ensure the liquids absorber pack is inside the yellow envelope with the blood card.
- Ensure all transport tubes and blood cards have a patient label
Bag 1 should contain:
- 1 yellow envelope
- 1 blood card with patient label
- 1 liquids absorber pack
- 1 double-sided requisition with date and time of collection
Bag 2 should contain:
- 1 urine transport tube with patient label
- 1 rectal swab tube with patient label
- 1 throat swab tube with patient label
- 1 liquids absorber pack
- 1 requisition form with date and time of collection
Mail it back!
Put both bags in the return envelope, apply the pre-paid shipping label and drop it off at any post office or mailbox.
Sample collection instructions
Important: Confirm your name & date of birth on all patient labels.
Dried Blood Spot (DBS)
- Encourage blood flow — for a better sample, try one of the following:
- Run hands under warm water;
- Rub hands together for 15 seconds;
- Vigorously shake hands for 30 seconds.
- Clean your fingertip with an alcohol wipe and let it dry.
- Position the lancet's flat side firmly against the side of your fingertip.
- Push the lancet button until it clicks.
- Allow a large drop of blood to form — hold finger downwards and massage your finger from the base to the tip to encourage blood flow.
- Fill all 5 circles without touching the card — with finger close to card, let one large drop, or 2-3 small drops, fall into each circle. Don't touch the card. Aim to fill the dashed circle. Too small will be rejected by the lab (see photo example here)
- Stop the bleeding with a cotton ball, then apply a bandaid. Discard lancet.
- Air-dry flat, out of sunlight, for at least 4 hours.
- Once dry, tuck cover in and place it inside the yellow envelope with the liquids absorber packet. Then place the yellow envelope inside bag 1 and zip to close.
Warm your hands, lance your fingertip, and let blood drop onto the card.
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Watch the DBS video Scan with your phone camera, or open: |
How full should each spot be?
Aim for a spot that fills the dashed circle. Spots that are too small won't process at the lab.
Throat swab
- Unwrap a swab — hold it below the score line, with the soft, Q-tip side facing out.
- Swab the very back of your throat — both sides, tonsils, and uvula.
- Withdraw carefully — don't let it touch any surface.
- Unscrew the cap of the collection tube marked "Throat" — make sure not to spill any of the liquid inside.
- Insert your swab into the tube and then bend it — it should snap at the score line.
- Recap the tube tightly and place inside bag 2.
- Swab the back of the throat and tonsils
Swab the back of the throat, tonsils, and uvula.
Rectal swab
Important: Use a new swab and tube. Do not lubricate.
- Unwrap a new swab — hold it below the score line, with the soft, Q-tip side facing out.
- Insert about 3–5cm into the anal canal.
- Turn gently for 5–10 seconds against the rectal walls.
- Withdraw carefully — don't let it touch any surface.
- Unscrew the cap of the collection tube marked "Rectal" — make sure not to spill any of the liquid inside.
- Insert your swab into the tube then bend it — it should snap at the score line.
- Recap the tube tightly and place inside bag 2.
- Insert swab and rotate for 10 seconds
Insert about 3–5cm and gently rotate for 5–10 seconds.
Urine sample
Important: Don't pee for at least 1 hour before completing this test. Collect the first part of your stream, not midstream. If you have a vulva, don't wipe or clean the area first.
- Pee into the lidless collection cup — it must be the first part of your stream. Finish peeing in the toilet.
- Unscrew the cap of the yellow urine transport tube — don't touch the foil underneath and don't empty any liquid in the tube.
- Insert pipette into collection cup, squeeze bulb and release to draw urine into pipette.
- Fill the urine transport tube to between the two black lines using the pipette. Don't overfill.
- Close the urine transport tube tightly. Stick patient label onto the urine transport tube and place inside bag 2. Discard lidless collection cup.
Important: stick the patient label on the urine transport tube.
Fill between the two black lines.
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Watch the urine video Scan with your phone camera, or open: |
Why testing is necessary
- Confirm safety: lab tests verify that your body can safely handle the medication.
- Verify status: screening for HIV ensures that preventive medications like PrEP are prescribed appropriately.
- Catch any infections: routine checks screen for underlying sexually transmitted infections so you can get prompt treatment if needed.
QUESTIONS?
Contact us at support@gofreddie.com or 437-747-7584.
Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST