It’s National Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigator Week!

With drug-related deaths in the USA continuing to rise, the role of the Medicolegal Death Investigator is increasingly crucial. This article explores the importance of their roles, both in establishing the involvement of drugs in suspected drug-involved deaths, as well as identifying public health trends.

 

Determining the Cause of Death

‘On-site’ or ‘in-house’ drug testing allows medicolegal death investigators to analyze samples and identify the presence of substances that may have played a role in the death. Whether it be illicit drugs or prescription medications, this process helps establish a comprehensive understanding of the cause of death.

 

Identifying Public Health Trends

Beyond individual cases, the data gathered through drug testing contributes significantly to understanding broader public health trends. By identifying patterns of drug use, emerging substances and prevalence of overdoses, Medicolegal Death Investigators become key players in the battle against substance abuse. This information allows health authorities to tailor interventions, educational programs, and preventive measures to address the evolving landscape of drug-related challenges.

 

Randox Toxicology

Randox Toxicology provides a simple solution for on-site drug testing with the Evidence MultiSTAT analyzer. Using Biochip Array Technology, the MultiSTAT is a fully automated analyzer that enables simultaneous detection of up to 29 classical, prescription and synthetic drugs from a single sample in just 31 minutes.

 

Current turnaround times for autopsy toxicology results is reported to be anywhere from six weeks to six months. Medicolegal Death Investigators can use the MultiSTAT to get toxicology results and provide a clearer picture of the cause of death in a matter of minutes.

 

Faster results also allow preliminary death certificates to be issued rapidly*, in as little as a day, speeding up the information being provided to both families and funeral homes. This data can also be provided to law enforcement and public health authorities to aid them in rapid responses to dangerous drugs in the local area.

 

To learn more about our post-mortem screening visit: https://www.randoxtoxicology.com/post-mortem-toxicology/

Or email us at info@randoxoxicology.com

*State and country dependent

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