[Histonet] Prefer formalin-free fixative

[Hadi Yaziji]

I measure my words! You said you had "EXCELLENT results!" with Prefer.  
If you have been using FISH on Prefer-fixed specimens, so please 
enlighten the CAP, Vysis, myself and others (to mention another 
pathologist, Dr. Ray Tubbs at the Cleveland Clinic) as to how you got 
FISH to work on these specimen. Prefer is listed by Vysis/Abbott as one 
of the fixatives incompatible with FISH.

Also, Prefer DOES significantly reduce the signal of MANY essential 
antibodies including ER, Ki-67 to mention a few.

You also said "It is much safer than formalin". In order to judge that 
something is safe, please provide clinical follow-up studies of the 
LONG-TERM effects of Prefer on a sizable population of histology lab 
workers.

I look forward to your reply.

Hadi Yaziji, M.D.
PhenoPath Laboratories

On Wednesday, October 29, 2003, at 06:18  AM, Mary Bryhan wrote:

> All,
>
> I would like to go on record to dispute the claims of Hadi regarding 
> Prefer fixative.  It is much safer than formalin based fixatives for 
> the health of the workers as well as the environment.  The main reason 
> people have trouble with working up their antibodies using Prefer 
> fixed tissues are, in most cases, they haven't tried to work through 
> the protocols to determine the corrective action to get their signal 
> to light up!  We have had about 8 years or so, experience with using 
> Prefer fixative and have EXCELLENT results!  If anyone out there needs 
> to network with other Prefer users, feel free to contact myself or my 
> coworker Ellen Clausen-Simon at (231)487-4169.
>
> Mary Bryhan HT (ASCP)
> Team Leader Anatomic Pathology Department
> Northern Michigan Hospital
> Petoskey, MI 49770
>
>>>> Hadi Yaziji <hadi83 <@t> comcast.net> 10/29/03 08:47AM >>>
> Dear Amy,
>
> I don't recommend it for the following reasons:
> 1. It has EXTREMELY harmful effects on many antibodies and on the DNA,
> so if the Prefer-fixed specimen will require any IHC or FISH, the
> results will be severely compromised because of the fixative.
> 2. Contrary to what was marketed by the company that sells it, it is
> not proven to be safe, and not requiring the strict regulations (in
> terms of proper ventilation and disposal). It simply hasn't made it to
> the radar screen of OSHA.
>
> I work in a reference lab, and we receive specimens that are fixed in a
> variety of fixatives. Prefer fixative is one of the worst in terms of
> destroying the IHC and FISH signal.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Hadi Yaziji, M.D.
> PhenoPath Laboratories
>
> On Wednesday, October 29, 2003, at 03:23  AM, Amy Self wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> 	Dear Histonetters,
>>
>>
>> 	Has anyone tried the Prefer formalin-free fixative distributed by
>> Anatech LTD.? If so, what were you likes and dislikes about it.
>> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>>
>>
>> 	Amy Self
>> 	Georgetown Hospital
>> 	
>>
>>
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