Here is what I've found out so far. (Copied from my post http://herballure.com/ubbthreads/sh...amp;amp;sb=5&o=&fpart=1)

Scientific Health Solutions (SHS) - US$250 test cost + US$20 for an additional copy. Will take order, ship test kit and send results direct to client (or Dentist or Doctor). Lab costs to draw & prepare sample at patients expense. Transport costs to ship to SHS Lab from your location at patients expense. If unable to transport within 24 hours shipping with dry ice is required (additional costs for dry ice & suitable dry ice shipping box). FedEx is the preferred courier or UPS if FedEx inconvenient or unavailable.

Clifford Consulting & Research Inc (Cliffords Lab) - test costs US$335 will supply 2 copies of report. Requires 'Health Professional' to order test kit. 'Health Professional' can be your Dentist, GP or Nutritional Doctor. Will send test kit and copy of report directly to patient if specifically requested at time of order. The 'Health Professional' can place an order by email, phone (recorded message service) or by dedicated fax. One copy of the report is always sent to the requesting 'Health Professional' . Lab costs to draw & prepare sample at patients expense. Transport costs to ship to Cliffords Lab from your location with Fed Ex INCLUDED in fee. No mention of requirement for dry ice but freezing of sample and chill packs is required. FedEx is the preferred courier. No alternative courier is suggested.

I have found a local path lab - Clinipath - willing to draw blood and do the serum preparation. They advise no Doctors referral is required just detailed explicit instructions from the Lab for blood draw & required preparation. So no problems there and cost is minimal only AU$30-40

But here is the major stumbling block!

There is a local FedEx office at my location in Perth Western Australia. Enquiries with FedEx revealed the following. Quote to ship frozen sample from Perth to Colorado Springs is AU$120. However FedEx Perth will not handle DRY ICE(as SHS stated was essential) shipments of whatever size from Perth at allbut they will do so from either Sydney or Melbourne ONLY. There is no UPS office (SHS stated alternative courier) at my location so can't use them.

So made two further enquiries:-

DGM Australia - recommended minimum 9kg of dry ice for the estimated 2-3 day transit time (not the 1.5-2kg suggested by SHS detailed instructions). Cost to supply ice + packaging, pack and transport from Perth (provided I delivered sample from Lab direct to their office would be AU$1000 .

World Courier - the company used by Clinipath to do dry ice within Australia also quoted.They also recommended minimum 9kg of dry ice for the estimated 2-3 day transit time (not the 1.5-2kg suggested by SHS detailed instructions). Their cost AU$1500!?!

Alternatively cost to use one of above to ship from Perth to FedEx's Sydney Office ONLY would be DGM AU$360 or World Courier AU$250. Add FedEx quote from Sydney to Colorado Springs of AU$294. Total transit cost reduced to between AU$544-654!?!

The above is conditional on FedEx confirming they are willing to accept sample package from another courier in Sydney and then forward on to testing Lab!!!!

I am still also awaiting confirmation from Cliffords as to whether frozen sample & chill packs are OK as indicated on their (limited) instructions or DO THEY REQUIRE DRY ICE AS WELL???

So total cost of testing

SHS- US$270 plus transport cost AU$544-1500 (frozen+dry ice) plus Path Lab costs AU$30-40

CLIFFORDS- US$335 (transport of frozen sample inclusive) or AU$544-1500 (frozen+dry ice if required) plus Path Lab costs AU$30-40 plus Doctors consult fee AU$100 to order test.

Help suggestions advice needed urgently!!!

Note none of the above will be covered by Medical Insurance or Medicare except for part of the Doctors consult. Add to the above I have just received a preliminary quote for dental work of AU$4200 plus sedation costs of AU$350 first hour and $75 per half hour thereafter. Not certain of estimated time yet but work needed includes 5 new fillings, replacing 9 Amalgams, one crown and one Wisdom tooth extraction. May ultimately need to replace two other crowns Porcelain fused to Gold plus unidentified Alloy (Dental Lab no longer exists and Dentist has no record of exact Alloy composition) at a further cost of AU$1700 each time. Insurance rebate about $1000 in total!


Last edited by LethalLee; 09/05/07 07:52 AM.