Lifelabs now offers the H. pylori Stool Antigen Test as a safe and accurate alternative to Urea Breath Test (UBT), allowing you to confidently diagnose H. pylori infection in dyspeptic patients without exposing them to unnecessary hazards during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Effective July 5, 2021, Urine Sulfosalicylic Acid (SSA) cascaded test will be discontinued.

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to instrumentation issues at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for MERCURY (BLOOD AND URINE) testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to instrumentation issues at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for ARSENIC (BLOOD) testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to instrumentation issues at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for SELENIUM (SERUM) testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to supply issues at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for LKM ANTIBODIES testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

**Discontinuation of Tests** URINE BILIRUBIN AND UROBILINOGEN will be discontinued as of June 14, 2021. Please request serum liver function test(s) instead, as clinically appropriate (including ALT, AST, GGT and/or Total Bilirubin).

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to supplier issues, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

On March 3rd 2021, LifeLabs sent a memo to all clients informing them of a positive bias on the serum creatinine assay, causing a positive shift of up to 8 umol/L in creatinine results, along with the concurrent negative shift in eGFR. The root cause was the manufacturer reagent lot bias. An interpr...

FastTRK is a clinical testing program for the diagnosis of NTRK gene fusions. Funded by Bayer Inc., this is a complimentary service for clinicians to determine whether their patients’ cancer has an NTRK gene fusion.

LifeLabs has recently become aware of a positive bias on the serum creatinine assay, which may contribute to a positive shift of up to 8 umol/L in creatinine results. A concurrent negative shift in eGFR may be present.

Effective April 4th, 2021 LifeLabs will introduce a new methodology for C- Reactive Protein (CRP) testing. The new method shows improved accuracy and precision across the CRP clinical range, including low concentrations used in cardiovascular disease assessment and high concentrations important for ...

Effective Mar 01, 2021, LifeLabs will be performing vitamin A and E testing in-house.

**Update on Turn Around Times** Due to supply issues at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for FECAL PORPHYRIN testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Physicians can now order either BNP or NT Pro-BNP tests for heart failure patients in Ontario.

**Limited Test Availability** Due to safety precautions implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19, H. PYLORI BREATH TESTING is temporarily not available for collection in our Patient Service Centres. Specimens collected by healthcare providers will continue to be accepted. We apologize for the...

Important Notice: LifeLabs would like to remind health care providers to ensure that their OHIP billing number is indicated on the Laboratory Requisition form they provide to their patients. Doing so will allow LifeLabs to provide the appropriate services to their patients without delay.

Due to instrument capacity issues related to COVID-19 testing, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time (TAT) for Parasite PCR testing. The current TAT is 3 to 5 days upon specimen receipt. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Due to a reagent backorder, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for C. DIFFICILE TESTING. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Urinalysis - Importance of Correct Collection and Storage

PLASMA CATECHOLAMINES testing has returned to routine turn-around times. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Due to pandemic related resource re-allocation at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for AMYLASE ISOENZYME testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Due to pandemic related resource re-allocation at our referral laboratory, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for OSTEOCALCIN testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Attention Health Care Practitioners: Please ensure requisitions are signed either as a wet or digital signature. Following Ministry guidelines, unsigned requisitions will not be honoured and patients will be turned away.

Attention Health Care Practitioners: Please ensure patients with Standing Orders have a request that is < 6months old. Standing orders are only valid for a 6-month period. Expired Standing Orders will be rejected and the patient turned away.

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and increased laboratory safety precautions at the referral laboratory, we are temporarily unable to provide FLUID LIPASE TESTING.

Effective March 02, 2020, LifeLabs implemented a new immunoassay testing platform, Roche Cobas e801, for select tests.

IMPROVEMENTS TO my results™ PORTAL – LIFELABS PARTNERING WITH LAB TESTS ONLINE TO HELP PATIENTS LEARN ABOUT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING

Delay in turnaround time for BETA 2 MICROGLOBULIN, SERUM testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Starting on March 9th, 2020 we will offer flow cytometric immunophenotyping for HLA-B27 antigen testing.

Please note that iLabLink being retired on January 31st, 2020

LifeLabs will be adopting new criteria for OHIP-insured tests.

Please read below about a notice regarding expired FOBT cards being received at our laboratory.

Endomysial Antibody testing has returned to routine turn-around times. We apologize for any inconvenience.

As of Monday, March 4th, 2019, due to change at our referral testing facility, testing for ADH/ Vasopressin is no longer available. It has been replaced by copeptin, a more reliable surrogate marker. ADH and copeptin are released in the body in a 1:1 ratio as 2 parts of the arginine vasopressin prec...

LifeLabs is pleased to announce changes to testing of serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone and Androstenedione that will take effect on December 17. 2018.

We have received notice from our Supplier, Fisher Edmonton, to quarantine the following supplies IMMEDIATELY:

Broad Spectrum Toxicology (BST) Screen testing has returned to routine turn-around times. We apologize for any inconvenience.

LifeLabs would appreciate your help in ensuring best patient care when critical values become available after office hours on the tests that you order on your patients.

Due to supply issues, we are currently experiencing a delay in turnaround time for SELENIUM (SERUM) testing. We apologize for the inconvenience.