Sterile bags (112) suitable for transporting specimens, such as medical samples, are formed of a pocket (11)8 for receiving a container containing a specimen and a closure (120) for closing the pocket. A liner (114) of absorbent material lines at least part of both opposed inner surfaces of the pocket (120), at the closed end (134) of the pocket. The absorbent liner (114) is narrower than width of the pocket from one side edge (132) to the other and is spaced inwardly from each side edge, and the opposed surfaces of the liquid impervious material are joined directly to one another by heat seals (124) along the side edges to form the pocket (120). A kit comprises a sterile bag for transport of such specimens, including tamper-evident features and being individually packaged, or packaged in a predetermined number within a sterile environment. The bags may be inserted into a sachet before packs of sachets are simultaneously sterilised by gamma radiation to sterilise the bags and the environment of the sachet surrounding them. A method of forming bags involves advancing a web of liquid impervious material； depositing sheets of absorbent material at intervals on the web of liquid impervious material； folding the web of liquid impervious material along its length, so as to provide two opposing surfaces sandwiching the sheets between them.
