Best Practices in Novel Psychoactive Substances Testing for Laboratory Practitioners

• NCJ Number: 253682
• Author(s): Sherri L. Kacinko; Barry K. Logan; Jeri D. Ropero-Miller
• Date Published: September 2019
• Length: 36 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2016-MU-BX-K110
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance); Report (Grant Sponsored); Instructional Material (Programmed); Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review

Annotation

This guide provides forensic laboratories and practitioners with the resources needed for an effective response in identifying new compounds that are rapidly entering the illicit drug market.

Abstract

Although laboratories have the technical expertise to develop and validate appropriate analytical methods for detecting new drug compounds, many laboratories lack the time and resources required to profile the many drugs entering the illicit market. Specifically, this guide provides information that will assist in identifying new drug targets, prioritize analytical targets, evaluate the best instrumental techniques for monitoring casework involving new drugs, and the development and validation of new analytical methods for unfamiliar drugs. One chapter of this guide addresses issues in the surveillance of the illicit drug market and indicators of drug emergence. The second chapter focuses on issues in prioritizing targets for incorporation into the scope of testing. Topics covered in this chapter include analyte popularity, the availability of standard reference materials and labeled internal standards, metabolite studies, and considerations for incorporating targets into testing. The third chapter considers targeted chromatography-based and fit for purpose method development strategy; and the fourth chapter focuses on method validation, with attention to the guidance of relevant Scientific Working Groups. Appendixes discuss fit-for-purpose quantitative method validation and quantification by standard addition for toxicology testing. 5 tables