PillowPac2 the compliant return envelope for use with FIT home testing kits.

A patent pending mailing solution designed and developed by shuttlepac for sending samples for analysis for National Bowel Screening and FIT home testing kits.

Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT)

FIT is a screening test to detect blood in stools. A positive test can indicate abnormalities that could be cancerous. So early diagnosis is crucial. Bowel cancer screening can lead to the early diagnosis of people with no symptoms, thus leading to a higher chance of survival from bowel cancer.

Home testing kits

PillowPac2 development and design

Making FIT testing kits simple and more intuitive for patients to use increases the chances of returning the completed test. Keeping the packaging safe and simple also plays a crucial role when the completed test is returned for screening.

Participants and laboratory technicians explained that there were a few challenges when using the current FIT test return envelopes for bowel cancer screening. Therefore, shuttlepac’s re-design of the PillowPac™ was essential to meet the updated demands and accommodate changes in the users’ needs.

So, the challenge for the shuttlepac development team was to design a simple return envelope.

  1. Easy to use
  2. UN3373 compliant
  3. Cost of a large letter that is sent back through the Royal Mail post

In line with the participants request, PillowPac2 has a much wider opening, which when popped creates a funnel revealing central guidelines. This ensures that the Faecal Sample Tube insertion is easier. Also, the PillowPac2 has a fixed strip of absorbent material to comply with UN3373 requirement. Therefore, if any contamination or leakage occurs in transit, the absorbent contains the liquid. The leak-proof pack is then sealed shut using a self-seal system and sent to the lab for testing. Combining all these features aids in higher sample returns to the lab for FIT testing analysis and keeps the postal cost to a minimum.

Additional help for the testing lab

For the Lab techs, we have added a newly inverted opening slot, which stops the tube from getting stuck in the pack. This feature significantly increases efficiency and uptime in the lab when using the PillowPac2 automated opening machine.

PillowPac2 Automated Opening Machine – load and go!

The machine is designed for a testing lab to automatically open the PillowPac2. Using the machine saves time, labour costs and provides a safe environment for operators when opening Biological Substances Category B samples for diagnosis. The automation and load-and-go feature leaves the operator with free time to complete other duties.

PillowPac2 Opening Machine is a highly efficient automated opening system for FIT packs in the lab

  • PillowPac2 Opening Machine opens the pack and releases the sample tube into a dedicated container
  • PillowPac2 Opening Machine tests every sequence to ensure the sample tube has entered the correct location. Failure to do so will stop the machine and alert the operator to investigate. 100% detection reliability is achieved.
  • PillowPac2 Opening Machine can process up to 1000 packs per hour with 1 A vast improvement on all current processes available.

PillowPac2 another successful solution for mailing diagnostic samples in the post.

Home testing kits