Clinical Reports

Drug use can lead to adverse events and overdose scenarios where individuals present to emergency departments for clinical evaluation and/or treatment. The culprit can be traditional drugs (e.g., heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine) or novel psychoactive substances (NPS); however, proper drug testing methodologies must be employed for accurate identification and characterization. Street-level drug preparations can contain undeclared or unwanted substances, such as toxic adulterants or NPS, which can potentiate effects or lead to adverse reactions. Understanding emerging drug trends and drug testing results can help direct new or revised approaches to clinical treatment and harm reduction efforts.

The CFSRE is collaborating with clinicians and emergency department physicians to employ comprehensive drug testing of clinical biological specimens collected after suspected NPS-related overdoses in various cities across the United States. For more information about our clinical initiatives, email our program manager at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..