Conducting your Pathology Test

Please be aware that if you are sending your sample by post, this may take up to 1 week to arrive at RN Labs. (You can contact your local post office for more specific time frames). Test results then take between two - three weeks from the date your sample is received by RN Labs. RN Labs then forwards the results to your practitioner. We cannot send results directly to the patient. Only your practitioner can explain your results to you.

This is for a similar reason as to why you need to book an appointment with your GP to discuss general pathology test results. It is important that your practitioner can discuss the results with you; therefore, we cannot give out test results directly to patients.

Functional pathology tests are an extremely comprehensive assessment of what is potentially occurring within a person’s body. They often test very different things than what general pathology tests do. From the results, your practitioner may be able to develop more specific treatment plans that address the cause of your symptoms.

We offer functional pathology tests that have been produced by leading international laboratories, meaning the samples are assessed in overseas labs, such as in the US. This means we cannot offer Medicare rebates on our testing services. Further to this, all of our tests use extremely accurate and scientific, research-backed technology, which can contribute to higher costs. The information gained from functional pathology tests can often provide a new level of insight that allows healthcare practitioners to develop more accurate and patient-specific treatment plans, to ensure their patients are on the right track to feeling better.

The instructions found inside the test kit will tell you to either send by express post, courier pick-up, or general post (depending on what test you are completing and your location). You will either find a pre-paid courier bag or a return postal envelope inside the test kit for returning your sample.

If sending by Aus post express or pick-up courier - it is important that you time your collection to be ready to send/picked-up on a Monday or Tuesday only - so that we receive it in time for our twice-weekly shipments to the overseas labs every Tuesday and Thursday.

* This is particularly important if the sample is time-sensitive. Please refer to the Collection Instructions found inside your Test Kit to check if your sample is time-sensitive. Any sample that has to be frozen prior to shipment is time sensitive.

* RN Labs is closed weekends, public holidays, and 4 weeks over Christmas (mid Dec – mid Jan). Please do not conduct your test / send samples during this time.

* If you are unable to ship the specimen the same day you finish the collection (i.e. over the weekend or public holiday), store your sample as instructed on the Collection Instructions in your test kit.

If sending by general post - please be aware general post can take anywhere from 1-10 days to arrive at our Head Office, which can add to your overall test turn-around time. If you would like your sample to be sent by express post, simply take it to your local post office and pay the additional expense for the express option. Express generally takes 1-2 days and the cost will vary depending on your location.

Please refer to the Collection Instructions found inside your test kit.

Some foods, supplements and medications can influence the test results and these will be noted in the test collection instructions. It is up to your healthcare practitioner to discuss with you what foods, supplements or medications they want you to continue or discontinue. Never discontinue medication without speaking with your healthcare practitioner.

It is best to contact your practitioner – they may like you to wait until you are feeling back to your normal state of health before conducting the test.

It may help to perform the test when you are in the privacy of your home, on a day where you don’t have much else on. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare for the test and approach it as a step-by-step process. After you complete the first step, you can then read the instructions to see what your next step is. Remember, your practitioner has recommended that you do the test in order to help you reach a better state of health. If you are feeling too overwhelmed and / or uncomfortable, we suggest that you contact your practitioner to discuss other options.

RN Labs will never share your test results with anyone other than your healthcare practitioner.

It is the practitioner’s duty to mark which test(s) are prescribed to you on the Pathology Request Form. You can then send the completed form to us by email, fax, or post. Alternatively you can order online by following the links from our PATIENT RESOURCES page.

Full test price (including handling fee) is charged to your credit card on the same day we receive your test kit order. The kit is then generally dispatched within 1 business day. Please allow 1-5 working days for delivery.

Request for a refund on an unsubmitted test must be made no more than 30 days after the test kit order. The handling fee will not be refunded.