Laboratory research

Device Evaluations – Most recently, TWG has conducted a series of laboratory evaluations to test state-of-the-art rapid saliva drug-testing devices to determine whether performance meets manufacturer’s claims and how well the devices perform at the proposed SAMHSA cutoff values. Some of this work was done as a prescreening of devices to be field-tested in the ROSITA project. The results of these studies have been published in several articles in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology .

TWG has also conducted laboratory evaluations of on-site urine test devices, using confirmation procedures to verify on-site test results in both our emergency room and DUI studies.

These various device evaluation studies have been linked to Treatment Research efforts ongoing at the National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA] and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment [CSAT] at SAMHSA. TWG developed a set of drug-testing guidelines for the NIDA Clinical Trials network, and developed a major document in collaboration with the Research Triangle Institute and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) on “Best Practices in the Use of Clinical Drug Testing in Addiction Treatment”.

Laboratory Certification and MRO Review – In a collaborative effort with the Research Triangle Institute [RTI International], the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at SAMHSA and First Advantage Corp. TWG is examining a large Medical Review database with results from more than a million drug tests each year. This data review will assess all aspects of the federal laboratory certification program, and the linkages between specimen collection, laboratory analysis, result reporting, and medical review.