How long to retain paraffin blocks (human tissue) is an issue that's going to need re-thinking.
Presently most pathology services in the USA retain them for no more than ten years. If the laboratory closes, slides and blocks are disposed of immediately. It seems to me that in the coming age of molecular pathology, there will be a lot more interest in recovering paraffin blocks after longer periods of time. I think that the regulatory agencies will soon need to address this problem. Storing present-day paraffin blocks, with their bulky plastic mounts and low-melting waxes, is going to become even more difficult than it is now, as hospitals and other facilities consider the cost of maintaining and cooling storage space. I don't think it's possible to triage blocks and slides for disposal at the time the case is signed out. It sounds like a good idea, but the few times I've seen it tried it didn't work. Also, we really don't know what we're going to need to recover in the future. Bob Richmond Samurai Pathologist (nearly 70, isn't going to have to worry about this problem) Knoxville TN _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet