BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tubes

Over the past year, we have seen unprecedented levels of global demand for our blood collection tubes due to surges in COVID-19 infection rates, increased hospital elective procedures, COVID-19 vaccine- and treatment development-related demand, as well as alternative vendor supply challenges. BD has taken significant action to maximize production of blood tube products at all of our global manufacturing facilities. Per our commitment, BD continues to take actions to increase production of the most critical products and ensure availability to our customers.

Blood Collection Tubes - Substitute Options

BD has created a table that lists alternative options for each BD Vacutainer Blood Collection Tube, in the event your desired product is not available. Availability by SKU changes daily and this table does not guarantee availability of a given item. Please follow established laboratory procedures prior to implementing any new blood collection tube.

Download here as a PDF or here for a searchable excel file.

As of May 2022, BD is pleased to announced that supply of BD Vacutainer® Citrate Tubes has stabilized. SKU #s 363080 and 363083 are no longer on backorder or on manual allocation. Customers may return to normal ordering practices.

Temporarily Unavailable Tubes

As part of our process to streamline the portfolio to improve production output, BD announced in November 2021 that four BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tubes would no longer be available (SKU #s 367844, 367835, 367981, 368587). In order to further increase capacity for our highest demand blood collection tube products, as of February 2022 we will be temporarily shifting production away from additional SKUs, outlined in the table below.

This decision will enable us to realize manufacturing efficiencies and help improve production output in the short-term. We understand the important role that our products play in ensuring accurate diagnostic test results for patients as well as safety and confidence for clinical staff. While we urgently work to improve our supply situation, BD requests customers to proactively transition from the impacted BD Vacutainer® SKUs to the suggested alternative to manage current supply dynamics. It is recommended that customers refer to their institution’s policies and procedures for product validation prior to use.

Update as of April 2022: To help minimize customer disruption, BD has resumed production of 5 previously unavailable blood tubes. We are pleased to be able to resume offering 367977 - Tube SST PLH 13X100mm 4.0ml PLBL Gold, 367886 - Tube LIHEP PLH 13X100 6.0 PLBL GN, 367925 - Tube GLU PLH 13X100 6.0 PLBL GR, 367878 - Tube NAHEP PLH 13X100 6.0 PLBL GN and 366667 - Tube LIHEP PLC 13X75 3.0 PLBL GN. We will continue to evaluate the ability to resume production on additional products and will provide another update in July 2022.

Update as of July 2022: After careful consideration, we have determined that certain lower volume BD Vacutainer® Blood Tubes, listed in the table below, will remain paused through October 2022, when we will again reevaluate the production status.

Please see below for the comparison between current and alternative products:

*The potential alternative products are BD’s suggestions based on its own comparison of the form, features and functions of the discontinued products and the potential alternative products. Depending on a customer’s circumstances, clinical requirements and intended use of the proposed alternative product, such product may not be a clinically appropriate alternative to the discontinued product, and any such determination shall be made by the customer.

BD Vacutainer® Urine Collection Products – Supply Update

To increase capacity for our most high-demand urine collection and transport products, we are temporarily shifting production away from the less critical SKUs in the portfolio, outlined in the table below. This decision enables us to realize manufacturing efficiencies and help improve production output.

To help customers adapt to these changes, we’ve created an alternative product reference table. (Please see below.) We recommend shifting usage to the suggested alternatives to improve the ability to source product.

Update as of July 2022: After careful evaluation of current supply and production conditions, we are extending the production pause on urine collection SKU #s 364954, 364946, 364981, 364989, 364990 and 364991. We will re-evaluate again in October 2022. (Please note that when a decision is made to resume production, it will then take several months to ramp up output.)

Alternative Product Reference Table*: It is recommended to refer to each facility’s product validation guidelines prior to implementing any new specimen collection products. Products listed below do not have guaranteed availability.

*The potential alternative products are BD’s suggestions based on its own comparison of the form, features and functions of the original products and the potential alternative products. Depending on a customer’s circumstances, clinical requirements and intended use of the proposed alternative product, such product may not be a clinically appropriate alternative to the original product, and any such determination shall be made by the customer.

BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Sets – Intermittent Supply Disruption & Alternative Options

BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Sets continue to experience intermittent supply chain interruptions caused by transportation delays and raw material shortages. We understand the important role that these products play in ensuring accurate diagnostic test results for patients as well as safety and confidence for clinical staff.

With the goal of increasing capacity for our highest-demand Blood Collection Sets, we are temporarily shifting production away from the less critical SKUs in the portfolio, as noted in the below table. This decision will be revisited in July 2022. In addition, while we urgently work to improve our supply situation, we recommend that facilities consider the following alternative options in the event that desired BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Sets are not available.

Update as of July/August 2022: After careful evaluation of current supply and production conditions, we are extending the production pause on wingset SKU #s 367326, 367338, 367336, 367323 and 367334. Additionally, we will also pause production on SKU #s 368652 and 368653. We will re-evaluate again in October 2022. (Please note that when a decision is made to resume production, it will then take several months to ramp up output.)

Suggested product cross-reference*: It is recommended to refer to each facility’s product validation guidelines prior to implementing any new specimen collection products. Products listed below do not have guaranteed availability.

*The potential alternative products are BD’s suggestions based on its own comparison of the form, features and functions of the original products and the potential alternative products. Depending on a customer’s circumstances, clinical requirements and intended use of the proposed alternative product, such product may not be a clinically appropriate alternative to the original product, and any such determination shall be made by the customer.