Common Drug-Testing Methodologies
     Scope
     • Which methodologies – strengths & limitations
         • Screening
         • Confirmation
     • The Standards & Accreditation
         • Includes compliance & accreditation, quality control
         • Quality practice
     • Testing outside of Standards
                                    Toxicology
        Common Drug-Testing Methodologies
       Approach
       • The Standards
       • The methodologies
       • Where does synthetic cannabinoid testing sit?
                              Toxicology
        Common Drug-Testing Methodologies
        AS/NZS 4308:2008 for urine
        AS 4760-2006 for oral fluid
       define procedures for 
        –Collection
        –Transportation
        –Analysis
        –Reporting
          (cover a relatively small number of substances but the principles are 
          applicable outside of the standard)
                               Toxicology
         Common Drug-Testing Methodologies
    Methods of analysis:
    • Screening – predominantly immunoassay - 
       workplace/laboratory
    • Confirmation – exclusively mass spectrography -
           generally gas or liquid chromatography 
           MS is the detection and characterisation stage
                              Toxicology
         Common Drug-Testing Methodologies
     Immunoassay:
     • Generally a “class” method
        – Cannabinoids**
        – Opiates**
        – Sympathomimetic Amines**
        – Cocaine**
        – Benzodiazepines*
        – Barbiturates
        – Phencyclidine
        – Methadone
        – and others
                                  Toxicology