Authors

Jayne B. Morrow1 | Jeri D. Ropero-Miller2 | Megan L. Catlin3 | Agnes D. Winokur4 | Amy B. Cadwallader5 | Jessica L. Staymates1 | Shannan R. Williams6 | Jonathan G. McGrath8 | Barry K. Logan9 | Michael M. McCormick10 | Kurt B. Nolte11 | Thomas P. Gilson12 | MJ Menendez9 | Bruce A. Goldberger13

Affiliations

1. Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
2. RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
3. National Heroin Coordination Group, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Washington, DC, USA
4. Office of Forensic Sciences for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Southeast Laboratory, Miami, FL, USA
5. Council on Science and Public Health, American Medical Association, Chicago, IL, USA
6. Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
7. Office of Special Programs, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
8. DOJ National Institute of Justice, Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
9. NMS Labs, Horhsam, PA, USA
10. US Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC, USA
11. Pathology and Radiology, New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, Albuquerque, NM, USA
12. Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Cleveland, OH, USA
13. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

Abstract

In many jurisdictions, public safety and public health entities are working together to enhance the timeliness and accuracy of the analytical characterization and toxicology testing of novel synthetic opioids. The improved sharing and early detection of these analytical data are intended to inform surveillance, interdiction efforts, patient intervention and treatment, all of which are critical to curbing the opioid epidemic. Forensic practitioners working to identify novel synthetic opioids struggle to provide timely results when encountering new or unknown substances, such as the fentanyl analogs. These compounds, which mimic heroin in pharmacologic effect but can be far more potent, are inconsistently present in chemical identification libraries, and are currently largely unavailable as reference materials for analytical comparison. Additionally, federal, state and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations require potency, toxicity and potential-for-abuse data to evaluate the potential health risks of emerging drug threats. Subsequent scheduling efforts and criminal prosecutions also require these thorough drug characterization studies. Pilot programs have demonstrated that early communication of real-time drug toxicity and analytical data significantly impacts the successful response to emerging opioids. High-quality, real-time, national-level data on chemical composition, toxicological test data, drug toxicity and overdoses, and analysis of seized materials by law enforcement are needed to track drug trends. However, the USA still lacks a national system to coordinate and communicate toxicology, medical and medical examiner and coroner data with the broader medical and law enforcement communities. Opportunities to address these gaps as well as recent advancements collected through interagency efforts and technical workshops in the toxicology and analytical chemistry communities are presented here. Opportunities for partnership, increased communication and expanding best practices to move toward an integrated, holistic analytical response are also explored.

 

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