PFAS blood test costs (FOI)

Request

It is believed that the PFAS blood tests offered by the Government are done at a US laboratory at a cost of circa £750 per test. 

A test is available, and has been used by other locals, from a German laboratory, at a cost of £75 per test.

Please confirm the specific cost of the US test used, and answer what is the specific reason for the Government needing to choose the US test over the German one?

Response

The US laboratory selected has a considerable track record of PFAS testing and were able to demonstrate high quality in their testing processes, meaning the test results received could be fully trusted.  It appears that the US laboratory is the only internationally certified laboratory for PFAS testing, accredited with the Department of Defense Department of Environmental Quality and National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.

They were also able to provide a reference population, to which we could compare our results. Without this, it would not have been possible to judge whether results showed a higher or lower PFAS level than expected. In addition, the US laboratory can test for many more PFAS compounds than other laboratories.  Testing for a range of PFAS analytes was particularly important to those tested. The Government of Jersey have previously engaged this facility to test other sources of PFAS. Therefore, the added reassurance was in place that all specimens were being tested in accordance with the same process and standard.

Furthermore, another important element for PFAS testing is to ensure that the equipment used to take the blood is free from PFAS, and therefore is not a potential source of contamination for the blood tests. The US laboratory provided equipment, which was free from PFAS, and also tested the routinely used blood collection tubes to ensure that they were PFAS-free and therefore the method of collection could be assured to not contaminate the samples. 

The costs of tests were offered at two levels:

A

A select list of common compounds; PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFOSA, N-MeFOSAA, PFUdA and N-EtFOSAA - $650.  

B

A longer list of 35 PFAS (including those in option A)- $850.  

In addition to this cost individual transportation and testing kits were supplied at a cost of $150 each.

The costs of testing were managed by having clear criteria for who was eligible to enter the testing programme.