NTS Blog

In recent months, the emergence of Medetomidine as a drug of concern has alarmed health professionals and law enforcement agencies across North America. Initially detected in Toronto in 2023, Medetomidine cases have now surged in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas. The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education (CFSRE) has issued a public alert due to the increasing instances of hospitalizations and overdose events linked to this potent veterinary tranquilizer.

A metabolite is defined as “a substance produced during metabolism, which is the process of digestion and other bodily chemical processes”. Essentially anything you put into your body is metabolized in one way or another. Food, for example, metabolizes into vitamins, proteins, fats, sugars, etc. Some food metabolites are useful chemicals your body needs, and some are discarded and excreted as waste byproducts.

While instant urine tests for drugs of abuse have improved tremendously over the years, the simple fact that it is still just a method of screening tells us that there are some limitations in the amount of information that they provide. Here we will discuss some of the obvious (and less obvious) reasons why laboratory confirmations should be considered a crucial part of your testing program.