What are the differences between a typical blood test and DBS?

A traditional blood sample collection is taken from the vein, and it requires more blood from the athlete. Three to 5 mL of blood is collected, then sent to the laboratory using temperature-controlled shipping. In comparison, DBS is a faster process that takes a much smaller amount of blood (a few drops) and it is far easier to ship to a laboratory. Because samples are smaller and faster to produce, anti-doping organizations can collect and store more of them. ¹