Unless you are a virtual business, you will most likely have or need to purchase laboratory equipment at some point or another. Many labs, especially startups or new academic programs, are opting to take their chances with used/ refurbished laboratory equipment. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s a great way to save money when you’re first getting going, but it was recently pointed out to me that, or all the processes going on in the lab, there's more than one reason to be abolutely certain that your samples are being stored properly in a deep-freeze.
Of course I know from experience the importance of maintaining viable frozen cultures to prevent the frustration of “losing” a newly discovered or strain, or the product of your gene cloning efforts. Most people today could even point out the relevance to storing DNA, blood, tissue and other samples long-term, for later use in disease research, drug discovery and DNA banking. But have you considered the legal reasons to ensure proper storage?
Drug companies are sometimes putting their necks on the line when new products go to clinical trial, or make it to market. Unpredictable side effects have resulted in more than one drug in the past few years being pulled from shelves. Proper long-term storage of samples from clinical trial test subjects can help evaluate high risk groups and accelerate re-approval processes, potentially saving millions of dollars. Such samples might also help prove that side effects were unpredictable or not previously detected. Consider it an insurance plan against future problems, to take the time and ensure your freezers are running properly.
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