Challenges in Drug Surveillance: Strengthening the Analysis of New Psychoactive Substances by Harmonizing Drug Checking Services in Proficiency Testing

Margot Balcaen (), Mireia Ventura, Cristina Gil, Anton Luf, Daniel Martins, Mar Cunha, Karsten Tögel-Lins, Danny Wolf, Peter Blanckaert and Eric Deconinck
Additional contact information
Margot Balcaen: Unit Illicit Drugs, Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases, Scientific Direction Epidemiology, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Mireia Ventura: Energy Control, Associació Benestar i Desenvolupament, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
Cristina Gil: Energy Control, Associació Benestar i Desenvolupament, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
Anton Luf: Clinical Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Daniel Martins: Kosmicare, 1170-283 Lisbon, Portugal
Mar Cunha: Kosmicare, 1170-283 Lisbon, Portugal
Karsten Tögel-Lins: Legal-high-Inhaltsstoffe, 60439 Frankfurt, Germany
Danny Wolf: Legal-high-Inhaltsstoffe, 60439 Frankfurt, Germany
Peter Blanckaert: Unit Illicit Drugs, Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases, Scientific Direction Epidemiology, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Eric Deconinck: Service Medicines and Health Products, Scientific Direction Physical and Chemical Health Risks, Sciensano, J. Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Drug checking is a proven harm reduction strategy and provides real-time information on the market of new psychoactive substances (NPS). It combines chemical analysis of samples with direct engagement with people who use drugs (PWUD), giving the ability to increase preparedness and responsiveness towards NPS. Next to that, it supports rapid identification of potential unwitting consumption. However, NPS cause a toxicological battle for the researchers, as factors such as the unpredictability and quick shift of the market complicate the detection. Methods: To evaluate challenges posed towards drug checking services, proficiency testing was set up to evaluate existing analytical techniques and investigate the capability to correctly identify circulating NPS. Twenty blind substances, covering the most common categories of substances, were analyzed according to the existing protocols of the existing drug checking services, including several analytical methods such as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography with diode array detector (LC-DAD). Results: The proficiency test scores range from 80 to 97.5% accuracy. The most common issues and errors are mainly unidentified compounds, presumably due to no up-to-date libraries, and/ or confusion between structural isomers, such as 3- and 4-chloroethcathinone, or structural analogs, such as MIPLA (N-methyl-N-isopropyl lysergamide) and LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide). Conclusions: The participating drug checking services have access to adequate analytical tools to provide feedback to drug users and provide up-to-date information on NPS.

Keywords: new psychoactive substances; drug checking; toxicology; harm reduction; substance use; laboratory testing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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