Specimen transport in Canada still rests on the same backbone it has for years: a Category B specimen moves as UN3373 in triple packaging rated to hold a 95 kPa pressure difference, with the paperwork travelling alongside. Public information on what the 2026 guidance cycle changed is limited, so the known points below stay with requirements that are stable and flag the areas a lab should re-check with its courier. If you move diagnostic specimens between sites, packaging and documentation are the two things you actually control.
What does Canadian specimen transport guidance require?
The core is the triple-package rule. A leak-proof primary receptacle holds the specimen. Enough absorbent to take the full primary volume surrounds it. A secondary packaging contains both, and a rigid outer packaging carries the whole assembly. For movement by air the package must also hold a 95 kPa pressure differential, which is where a pressure-rated transport bag does its work.
Provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia run their own laboratory networks, but the packaging a courier accepts does not change from one to the next. What changes is the route and the paperwork, not the bag.
Did the 2026 changes affect 95 kPa specimen bags?
The working requirements for the packaging itself are unchanged: a pressure-rated bag or a rigid secondary that holds 95 kPa, absorbent sized to the specimen volume, and a documentation pocket that keeps the requisition clear of the specimen compartment. What is worth watching in any guidance cycle is the courier side, meaning the UN numbers a carrier accepts, the labelling wording, and the training record a lab is expected to keep.
Which layers does UN3373 require for a Category B specimen?
Lay it out in four parts and the check turns mechanical.
| Layer | Job it does | Check before shipping |
|---|---|---|
| Primary receptacle | Holds the specimen, leak-proof | Cap seated, no cracks or splits |
| Absorbent | Soaks the full primary volume | Enough material for the whole sample |
| Secondary packaging | Contains primary and absorbent | Seal intact, rated to 95 kPa |
| Outer packaging | Rigid, carries marking and documents | UN3373 marking, paperwork enclosed |
The marking is the part teams get wrong. UN3373 belongs on the outer package with the words Biological Substance, Category B, and the requisition stays outside the specimen compartment so it cannot be spoiled if a primary leaks.
How should a Canadian lab prepare for a courier change?
Ask three questions before a contract moves: which UN numbers the courier accepts, what labelling and documentation it wants on the outer package, and what training record it expects the lab to hold. Put the answers next to your current packaging specification, because a mismatch tends to show up at the dock rather than at the bench.
Keep one sample pack built and ready. A dry run of the full triple package against the new paperwork catches the small gaps, such as a missing pocket or an absorbent that is one size short, while there is still time to change the order. Our own transport lines are held as a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334), so the labelling on the bag is written to match what a courier expects to see.
Sibling notes worth reading: provincial sharps disposal rules and a Canadian lab spore test case review. The diagnostic labs page collects the specimen-handling references, and the 6 x 9 inch 95 kPa specimen bag is the size that covers most single-tube work.
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers.Related reading
Provincial sharps disposal rules; A Canadian lab spore test case review; Diagnostic labs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do specimen bags have to be pressure rated in Canada?
For air movement the secondary packaging must hold a 95 kPa pressure difference, and a rated bag is the usual way to meet that.
What separates a Category A from a Category B specimen?
Category B is a specimen transported in a form that is unlikely to cause disease, shipped as UN3373, while Category A follows a stricter route.
Does the requisition go inside the specimen compartment?
No. The requisition stays outside the specimen compartment so that a leak cannot spoil it.
What should a lab keep as proof of courier training?
Keep a dated training record for staff who pack and ship, and confirm the format your courier expects.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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