Opioid Drug Abuse Testing Key Topic at Congress
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 08 Jun 2017 |
Development of new diagnostic procedures for opioid drugs and augmenting communication pathways between laboratory, clinician, and patient are important topics that will be addressed at the July 30 to August 3, 2017, AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo (San Diego, CA, USA).
In the United States - according to data reported in the December 2016 issue of the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - opioids accounted for more than two-thirds of all drug overdose deaths in 2015, 15.6% more than the previous year, and drug overdose deaths nearly tripled between 1999 and 2014.
While official agencies and medical groups recommend clinical laboratory tests to support efforts aimed at curbing opioid drug abuse, many physicians may not be fully equipped with the knowledge required to interpret this test data for their patients. To help in this regard, nationally recognized centers, such as the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) have entered the limelight.
Physician requests for assistance in interpreting pain management tests at the Mayo Clinic increased after the [U.S.] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA) issued guidelines in March 2016 recommending urine drug testing before starting patients on opioid therapy and for monitoring them afterward. This guideline and others are driving the testing, but also leading to more confusion in terms of which type of laboratory tests to use - for example, immunoassays versus definitive methods - which specific tests to include, the frequency, and how to interpret those tests.
To help out, the Mayo Clinic now deploys many tools to help providers navigate the nuances of drug testing. Mayo’s online test catalog includes a primer on interpreting drug tests for compliance, along with short “hot topic” videos and other online educational tools.
Other institutions are also rising to the challenge. Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN, USA) for example, now makes it possible for physicians to request interpretative services at the time they order a test.
In response to the opioid crisis, discussions at the AACC Annual Meeting will emphasize that clinical labs and their physician clients need to work together to stay abreast of drug testing needs in their local communities.
Related Links:
AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
Mayo Clinic
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vanderbilt University
In the United States - according to data reported in the December 2016 issue of the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - opioids accounted for more than two-thirds of all drug overdose deaths in 2015, 15.6% more than the previous year, and drug overdose deaths nearly tripled between 1999 and 2014.
While official agencies and medical groups recommend clinical laboratory tests to support efforts aimed at curbing opioid drug abuse, many physicians may not be fully equipped with the knowledge required to interpret this test data for their patients. To help in this regard, nationally recognized centers, such as the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) have entered the limelight.
Physician requests for assistance in interpreting pain management tests at the Mayo Clinic increased after the [U.S.] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA) issued guidelines in March 2016 recommending urine drug testing before starting patients on opioid therapy and for monitoring them afterward. This guideline and others are driving the testing, but also leading to more confusion in terms of which type of laboratory tests to use - for example, immunoassays versus definitive methods - which specific tests to include, the frequency, and how to interpret those tests.
To help out, the Mayo Clinic now deploys many tools to help providers navigate the nuances of drug testing. Mayo’s online test catalog includes a primer on interpreting drug tests for compliance, along with short “hot topic” videos and other online educational tools.
Other institutions are also rising to the challenge. Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN, USA) for example, now makes it possible for physicians to request interpretative services at the time they order a test.
In response to the opioid crisis, discussions at the AACC Annual Meeting will emphasize that clinical labs and their physician clients need to work together to stay abreast of drug testing needs in their local communities.
Related Links:
AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
Mayo Clinic
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vanderbilt University
Latest AACC 2017 News
- Siemens Healthineers Showcases Atellica Solution at AACC 2017
- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Highlights Immunodiagnostics at Clinical Expo
- Combating Infectious Diseases Key Focus of AACC
- World's First Fully Integrated LC-MS/MS Clinical Analyzer Unveiled
- Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Provides DAU Screening
- Diatron Displays New Hematology Analyzer at UAE Congress
- Microscan Demonstrates Advanced Technology at Scientific Meeting
- AACC Middle East to Be Held in Abu Dhabi
- AACC 2017 Focus on CRISPR and Futuristic Testing Devices
- Keynote Address to Focus on CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing
- Winner of Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize Unveiled at AACC
- Annual Meeting Offers Industry Education and Entertainment
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Skin Swabs Could Detect Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Appear
Parkinson’s disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages, as motor symptoms do not appear until later in the progression of the disease. The ability to detect the disease up to seven... Read more
New Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Designed to Meet Growing Demands of Modern Labs
A new clinical chemistry analyzer is designed to provide outstanding performance and maximum efficiency, without compromising affordability, to meet the growing demands of modern laboratories.... Read more
New Reference Measurement Procedure Standardizes Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) play a key role in diagnosing a wide range of infectious diseases. These tests are generally known for their high sensitivity and specificity, and they can be developed... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Highly Accurate Biomarkers Could Detect Ovarian Cancer Before Clinical Diagnosis
Ovarian cancer is a deadly and challenging disease, primarily because early detection is difficult. Most women (70-75%) are diagnosed only after the cancer has already spread, which significantly reduces... Read more
New Gene Tool to Enable Earlier Detection and Treatment of Cardiometabolic Diseases
Cardiometabolic diseases, which affect the heart, blood vessels, and the body's ability to process food and generate energy, are difficult to diagnose early due to the complex genetic changes that contribute... Read moreHematology
view channel
Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results
Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more
First Point-of-Care Heparin Monitoring Test Provides Results in Under 15 Minutes
Heparin dosing requires careful management to avoid both bleeding and clotting complications. In high-risk situations like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mortality rates can reach about 50%,... Read moreImmunology
view channel
New AI System Uncovers Hidden Cell Subtypes to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy
To produce effective targeted therapies for cancer, scientists need to isolate the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of cancer cells, both within and across different tumors. These differences significantly... Read more
Evolutionary Clinical Trial to Identify Novel Biomarker-Driven Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer, which occurs when cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Nearly 90% of patients with metastatic cancer will... Read more
Groundbreaking Lateral Flow Test Quantifies Nucleosomes in Whole Venous Blood in Minutes
Diagnosing immune disruptions quickly and accurately is crucial in conditions such as sepsis, where timely intervention is critical for patient survival. Traditional testing methods can be slow, expensive,... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Early Detection of Gut Microbiota Metabolite Linked to Atherosclerosis Could Revolutionize Diagnosis
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and atherosclerosis plays a critical role in its development. This chronic condition, characterized by the hardening and narrowing of arteries... Read more
Viral Load Tests Can Help Predict Mpox Severity
Mpox is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and a characteristic rash, which evolves significantly over time and varies between patients. The disease spreads mainly through direct contact with... Read more
Gut Microbiota Analysis Enables Early and Non-Invasive Detection of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder marked by abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy, typically emerging in the mid to late stages. It significantly heightens the risk of... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Tool Accurately Determines Breast Cancer Prognosis
A new study has found that cells and tissues surrounding a breast cancer tumor may hold critical information about how patients will respond to treatment. The research, published in the journal Patterns,... Read more
Powerful New Tool Improves Tissue Cancer Analysis
Studying the mix of cell types in human tissue is crucial for understanding diseases like cancer, but it presents significant challenges in both accuracy and scalability. The tumor microenvironment, composed... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Electronic Biosensors Used to Detect Pathogens Can Rapidly Detect Cancer Cells
A major challenge in healthcare is the early and affordable detection of serious diseases such as cancer. Early diagnosis remains difficult due to the complexity of identifying specific genetic markers... Read more
Safer, Portable and Low-Cost Imaging Solution to Revolutionize Biomedical Diagnostics
In diagnosing diseases and monitoring treatment, accurate and quick detection of temperature within biological tissues can be crucial, especially in early disease detection. Conventional methods such as... Read more
Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation
Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have significant limitations. These treatments not only target cancerous areas but also damage healthy tissues, causing side effects... Read moreIndustry
view channel
QuidelOrtho and BÜHLMANN Collaborate on Gastrointestinal Biomarker Tests
QuidelOrtho Corporation (San Diego, CA, USA) and BÜHLMANN Laboratories AG (Schönenbuch, Switzerland) have announced the availability of the BÜHLMANN fCAL turbo and fPELA turbo assays on QuidelOrtho's... Read more