Here I go again[Histonet] Expiration date

[Joe Nocito]

Okay,
I've been too quiet for too long. Here I go again.

I am so tired of CAP and their ridiculous regulations. Every CAP inspection 
I fight this same question. When I was supervising the Immuno lab at AFIP, 
we froze concentrated antibodies at -70 for years. Antibodies that were 
frozen in 1080, were still viable in 1990. That means we were running 
immunos in 1990 with 1980 prices. What is so wrong about that?
    We also ran a known positive control with each batch. If the positive 
control worked, guess what? The antibody was still good. If the positive 
control did not work, we threw out that lot number and repeated it with 
another lot number. When we saw that there was a drop in the staining 
intensity, we  tossed that lot and started another. My experience with 
antibodies is that they just don't go bad over night, they start staining 
with less intensity.
    I think that the CAP board members have stocks in the biochemical 
companies. Please don't get me wrong, I have many close friends that work in 
the biochemical side of this, but why would this drastic change in view? The 
FDA? I doubt it.
    Maybe I'm too one sides on this issue, but give me a break! If the 
positive control works in any other antibody, doesn't that mean the antibody 
is viable?
    I know companies have to put an expiration date on their products, but 
come on. If an antibody expires June 30, 2005, does it automatically go dead 
on July 1?
    As managers and supervisors, we are continuously bashed about saving 
money. This would be a great place to start, don't you think?
    That is all. Thank you

Joe Nocito BS, HT(ASCP)QIHC
Histology Manager
Pathology Reference Lab
San Antonio, TX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Katia Cristina Catunda" <kccatunda <@t> uol.com.br>
To: "histonet" <histonet <@t> pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 8:20 PM
Subject: [Histonet] Expiration date


> What should we do with antibodies and reagents after their indicated 
> expiration dates? Theorectically they shouldn't be estable after the 
> expiration date but we do know that most of them still works perfectly... 
> should we just throw them out and not use them anymore, wouldn't this be a 
> way for the manufacturers manipulate their sellings? Need some opinions...
>
> Tks
>
> Katia
>
>
>
>
>
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