Microtube Cap Having Built-In Compartment for Stabilizer Suited for Remote Blood Collection

A specimen tube system, comprising:

• a specimen tube having a cylindrical body with a specimen tube aperture on a tube end exposing a holding area inside the cylinder;
• and
• a sealing cap engageable with the specimen tube, having:
• a cylindrical aperture having a top end and a bottom end, and an aperture body disposed between the top end and the bottom end, wherein the bottom end comprises a diameter suited to engage the specimen tube;
• a compartment defined by at least one mesh side disposed within the cylindrical aperture adjacent to the top end, the at least one mesh side sized to prevent passing a solid material while allowing passing of a liquid material;
• and
• a solid blood stabilizer disposed in the compartment sized to be prevented from passing through the at least one mesh side.

A method for collecting blood in a specimen tube, the method comprising:

• collecting blood from a human in a specimen tube at a location remote from a laboratory;
• placing a sealing cap over a top end of the specimen tube, the sealing cap having a compartment defined by at least one mesh side disposed within the sealing cap and holding a blood stabilizer in solid form;
• inverting the sealed specimen tube to cause the collected blood to permeate the compartment and mix with the stabilizer stored therein;
• and
• packaging and sending the specimen tube having the collected blood mixed with the stabilizer to the laboratory.