# Fedex

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 4, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743 "2007-05-04T14:42:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![imarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7cd45c/32.png) [@imarc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imarc)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/1 "2007-05-04T14:42:40Z")

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After years of using Fedex envelopes, I have to ask…  
The rear of the envelope tells me not to use it for liquids, blood or diagnostics. The liquid and blood I can understand, but what the hell are diagnostics and why cant I Fedex them?

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**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/2 "2007-05-04T14:59:53Z")

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[QUOTE=imarc]  
After years of using Fedex envelopes, I have to ask…  
The rear of the envelope tells me not to use it for liquids, blood or diagnostics. The liquid and blood I can understand, but what the hell are diagnostics and why cant I Fedex them?  
[/QUOTE]

Well, they might mean other lab type stuff like stool samples and things like that.

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**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/3 "2007-05-04T15:04:57Z")

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[QUOTE=BoBettie]  
Well, they might mean other lab type stuff like stool samples and things like that.  
[/QUOTE]

And you CAN Fedex all these things, as well as radioactive material, hazardous waste, etc- just not in the Fedex envelope- use a Fedex box 🙂

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**Author:** ![imarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7cd45c/32.png) [@imarc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imarc)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/4 "2007-05-04T15:10:09Z")

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well because I dont know specifically what diagnostics are, im pretty sure i dont have any to send.

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**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/5 "2007-05-04T15:18:40Z")

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[QUOTE=imarc]  
well because I dont know specifically what diagnostics are, im pretty sure i dont have any to send.  
[/QUOTE]

as **BoBettie** said- medical things like stool, cell samples, bloodwork, urine- stuff that the Fedex envelope is not good at protecting from damage. The envelope is mainly for documents and the like.

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**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex/402743/6 "2007-05-04T16:45:11Z")

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[QUOTE=Wee Bairn]  
And you CAN Fedex all these things, as well as radioactive material, hazardous waste, etc- just not in the Fedex envelope- use a Fedex box 🙂  
[/QUOTE]

There are other requirements as well:

[ul]  
[li]watertight primary receptacle[/li][li]watertight secondary packaging[/li][li]absorbent material[/li][li]sturdy outer container[/li][li]clinical pak as an overwrap[/li][/ul]