The Eagan lab is one of four national testing laboratories thatwill be closed across the country. The others to be closed are inAtlanta, San Diego and Dedham, MA. The Red Cross does not know yetwhat it will do with the 25,000-sf local lab it owns at 2919Eagandale Blvd. Because Red Cross leases land elsewhere in the TwinCities, it may consider moving operations into the closed lab or itmay sell it, says Jack Sheehan, a Red Cross spokesman.

The main objective of the closing is to streamline operations,save money and take advantage of Red Cross' excess lab capacity.Blood and associated products are like any other drug and AmericanRed Cross competes for business with private blood banks forcustomers, so costs need to be kept under control.

In addition, the Eagan lab does not have nucleic acid testing, amore sensitive procedure used to test blood for the last fiveyears. As a result, he blood must be shipped out for furthertesting elsewhere, Sheehan says.