Read the December 2021 issue of CFTN
A key challenge for laboratories is deciding which drug components to include in drug screening panels. Urine drug screening is widely used in healthcare, in workplace settings, and in forensic investigation, and the requirements for drug screening are often unique to the demands and purposes of the testing environment. Many of the considerations for drug screening are presented here as perspectives for clinical, workplace, and forensic settings.
Marijuana and hemp-derived products such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and other cannabinoids are being investigated as pharmacological agents, exploiting the cannabinoids’ potential analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, and antioxidant properties. As a result of the patchwork nature of marijuana legalization, but the nationwide legalization of hemp, a new market has presented itself to those willing to operate in a legal gray area. Δ8-THC began appearing on the market in 2020; in addition, there are other Δ-THC variants that can be produced from hemp-derived CBD.
In September, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo was held in person in Atlanta, Georgia. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and toxicology topics were well represented in scientific sessions, roundtables, and poster presentations.
The 2021 International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (IATDMCT) Congress was a hybrid in-person and virtual meeting held in Rome, Italy, from September 19 to 22nd. The theme of the annual meeting was “Nobody is average” to highlight the importance for individualized drug treatment and efficacy.
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