Frequently asked questions

To open an account with US BioTek Laboratories, the practitioner must be authorized under his or her scope of practice to order laboratory testing. The ability to order laboratory testing is linked to a profession’s authority to interpret results for the purposes of diagnosis for decisions regarding patient treatment. If you are unsure whether your license covers the ordering of laboratory tests, please contact your state Department of Health, Health Professions Quality Assurance.

You may call US BioTek Laboratories Client Services at 877.318.8728 or use our contact us page with your request to open an account.

Complete fee information is available upon request to the licensed healthcare practitioner. Please contact our office for this information.

US BioTek Laboratories does not bill private insurance for test fees and will not file a claim on the patient’s behalf. If the patient has paid at the prepaid price, he/she may request an itemized receipt which they may then submit to their insurance provider. Coverage under an insurance plan may be subject to limits set by the insurance provider. Some test procedures performed by US BioTek Laboratories may be considered as investigational and therefore may not be payable as covered benefits for patients. 

As a licensed healthcare practitioner you may call our Client Services Dept. to request, free of charge, test kit/supplies.

We provide pre-paid, expedited, trackable packaging for specimen return shipment throughout the United States and Canada. For all other international shipment of specimens, the shipper is responsible for all fees incurred. As an international practitioner, please consult with your air carrier for their particular guidelines and specifications. All specimens are shipped at ambient temperature.

Lab results are only part of a comprehensive health evaluation. Diagnostic and treatment decisions are made by the practitioner with the focus on all aspects of the patient’s current medical condition. US BioTek’s test reports are easy to read and self-explanatory. For additional technical support please contact our Client Services Dept.
US BioTek will not discuss test results or procedures directly with the patient. Patients are referred back to the practitioner for consultation and follow-up.

All test results are reported to the practitioner who assumes the responsibility of relaying the information to the patient.
All results remain confidential and are mailed to the practitioner’s office directly. Fax and email services in addition to online access are provided on request.

Immunosuppressive drugs may affect test results. The suggested time period to abstain from these is 4 weeks. However, the dosage, route, half-life of medication, and duration of administration on systemic immune response, can vary on its effects. The practitioner must weigh in these variables with the current health status of the patient.

There is no under age limit. US BioTek’s IgE antibody assays are suitable for 10 years of age and older. Our specific IgA is not suitable for breast-fed infants. Not suitable for individuals with an IgA deficiency or suboptimal levels.

When compared with other immunoglobulins, blood IgE levels are often considered to be low and present with a short half life of two days. Thus, finding positive results for IgE is often difficult for many foods and a more sensitive system can be very helpful for patients. We have been in the process of exploring a system with higher sensitivity and chose the new Immulite assay system which is a proven, reliable and accurate tool for the identification of IgE reactions. 19 foods have been selected for this assay which are some of the most commonly reactive, requested, and relevant foods.

Almond, Blue Mussel, Brazil Nut, Buckwheat, Coconut, Codfish, Corn, Cow’s Milk, Egg White, Hazelnut, Oat, Peanut, Rice, Salmon, Sesame, Shrimp, Soybean, Tuna and Wheat.

Due to the tremendous sensitivity of this new Immulite Technology, clinicians and their patients can expect an increase in positive results.

The price remains the same for the 19 foods due to significant increase in reagent and equipment cost for this advanced FDA cleared Siemens Immulite XPi 2000 Immunoassay System.

Yes, Total Serum IgE will be reported with each food, inhalant, and mold panel. IgE food panels will be reported separately from IgA and IgG food panels.

Yes, only 3 ml of serum is required for each food, mold, or inhalant panel compared with the previous requirement of 9 ml for our IgE general food, and 5 ml for inhalant panel.

Yes, the IgE report will include quantitation of IgE antibodies present against individual allergen, class of reactions, a bar graph similar to our present report along with total serum IgE level.

No. We will no longer offer any regional food panels such as Asian, Mexican, etc. This 19 food IgE panel will replace all regional panels offered previously.

No, not at this time. IgE assays are unique simply because of the special properties of IgE immunoglobulins. We believe the new Immulite methodology addresses these challenges and our clients will find great satisfaction in their results.

Yes, there are 5 molds included in the Inhalant Panel. There is also a separate Mold Panel with 15 allergens.

Yes, the Immulite testing platform has 510k approval.

This is wholly dependent on each individual insurance policy. As a reminder, US BioTek does not bill private insurance on behalf of patients, but can provide CPT codes.

No, we are pleased to assure our clients that turnaround time will remain the same at 5-10 working days.

As a laboratory, we are unable to provide you with a medical consult regarding your test results or any health-related issues/concerns. Please contact your practitioner who may contact us directly for assistance.