America’s Fight Against Fentanyl
A drug bust described as “one of the largest in US history” has taken place in Nebraska after police seized 118 pounds of opiates. The opiates were later confirmed by the NPS Crime Lab as fentanyl, a powerful synthetic painkiller that is 30-50 times more potent than heroin. It is estimated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that the amount seized would have been enough to kill over 26 million people.
Fentanyl which appears as a white powered substance can cause drowsiness, nausea and confusion. Just 2mg of the dangerous opioid is a lethal dosage and exposure can cause fatal reactions, such as respiratory failure or death.
A report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that between 2015 and 2016 overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids had doubled in the US, resulting in President Trump declaring the opioid crisis as a public health emergency. Whilst America continues to rank top for opioid abuse, over 100 people were killed in the UK in 2017 due to fentanyl alone. The BBC reported that nearly 24 million opioids were prescribed in the same year within the UK, a rise of 10 million from 2007.
Randox Toxicology offer the most comprehensive drugs of abuse test menu across multiple forensic matrices including whole blood, urine and oral fluid. Our level of expertise in toxicology research and development allows us to adapt quickly to the ever-changing market influences and develop assays with optimum target compounds and excellent specificities for current and novel drug trends.
Utilising our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology, Randox Toxicology’s DoA ULTRAand NPS II panels detect designer opioids and fentanyl. The multi-analyte testing platform allows toxicologists to achieve a complete immunoassay profile in the initial screening phase from a single sample, offering CVs typically less than 10%.
DoA ULTRA: The Ultimate Drug Screen
The DoA ULTRA panel detects up to 20 targeted drugs, offering the largest cross-reactivity profile of over 240 analytes. Excellent assay precision and performance eliminates false reporting, therefore reducing unnecessary confirmatory tests and time lost in the laboratory.
NPS II: Designer Fentanyl & Opioids
As the number one supplier of new psychoactive substances tests including synthetic cannabinoids, Randox Toxicology screen for both designer opioids and classic designer drugs of abuse.
For more information about our DoA ULTRA and NPS II panels, email info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit www.randoxtoxicology.com