The American Red Cross National Testing Laboratories (NTLs) are an integrated, nationwide network of five full-service blood testing laboratories.  Strategically located throughout the country, these laboratories offer quality, cost-effective testing and stringent process controls.  With 50 years of donor blood testing experience and with over seven million donations tested annually, the NTLs offer the expertise, technology and throughput capacity necessary to provide high-quality, reliable and cost-effective donor blood testing.  The FDA-licensed, AABB-accredited and CLIA-certified American Red Cross NTLs with contingency and emergency back-up testing capacity serve customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The NTLs perform the following tests on each unit of donated blood, as well as specialized tests upon request to meet the individual needs of blood centers and hospitals:
• ABO/Rh
• Screening for unexpected red cell antibodies
• Antibodies to Treponema pallidum for Syphilis*
• Antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (anti-HIV-1/2)*
• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)*
• Antibodies to Hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)
• Antibodies to Hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)*
• Antibodies to Human T-Lymphotropic Viruses (anti-HTLV-I/II)
• Antibodies to Cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV) – select specimens only
• Nucleic Acid Testing for HIV-1/HCV and West Nile Virus (WNV)*
• Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi for Chagas’ Disease*

Testing for Hemoglobin S (sickle cell), cholesterol, antibodies to Hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and additional red blood cell antigens may be performed upon request.

* Confirmatory and supplemental testing available as needed for reactive samples

The Confirmatory Laboratory
The Confirmatory Laboratory is located in Charlotte, NC and is a leader both in performing FDA-approved algorithms and in establishing new algorithms for confirmatory and supplemental infectious disease testing.  Donor samples that have been determined to be repeatedly reactive in the routine tests performed by the NTLs are sent to the Confirmatory Laboratory for further testing.  The comprehensive reports and results are used to counsel blood donors about the meaning and application of positive donor screening tests.

To establish a service agreement for testing services, please contact your nearest NTL.
• Philadelphia NTL:  215-451-4700
• Charlotte NTL:  704-587-4660
• St. Louis NTL:  314-658-2186
• Portland NTL:  503-253-9660
• Detroit NTL:  313-465-8400