2008-10-06 18:10:31 -
Testing for ‘designer drugs', ‘legal highs' and other novel materials is a continuing challenge for clinical, forensic, sports testing and toxicology laboratories. The recent meeting of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) highlighted a number of materials required for use as reference compounds and internal standards in applications such as testing for evidence of exposure to alcohol and drugs
in substrates including blood, urine and hair. LGC Standards is pleased to announce that many of these new materials have now been sourced and are included in our recently revised and relaunched catalogue "Reference Materials for Clinical, Forensic and Sports Drugs Applications".
A particular example of an area of increasing interest to analysts is plant-derived chemicals which have toxic or psychoactive effects, or which can be used as precursors for controlled drugs. Here too, LGC Standards has been able to source a range of reference materials, such as kava alkaloids and Salvinorin A (the active ingredient of Salvia divinorum), and these phytochemical reference materials have also been included as a new chapter of the catalogue.
These and many other new reference standards, including deuterated materials, glucuronides and other metabolites, are now available to laboratories carrying out analysis for drugs of abuse, therapeutic drugs and sports doping agents, from LGC Standards offices throughout Europe.
The chapter with reference standards for clinical analysis is based on the Joint Committee for the Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM) database. Drugs, enzymes, proteins and therapeutic drugs in blood, serum, urine and hair have been sourced from all over the world.
LGC Standards simplifies the sourcing of reference standards and can deal with the complex issue of legal requirements in relation to international trade of controlled substances. In addition, expert advice and assistance is available to source of substances that are not currently included in the catalogue.
To obtain your copy of the new catalogue, please contact LGC Standards by email at
askus@lgcstandards.com or call +44 (0)20 8943 8480
About LGC Standards
LGC Standards is a division of LGC dedicated to those products and services specifically able to champion measurement and quality control within the laboratory. LGC Standards (trading as LGC Promochem until November 2007) supplies over 20,000 reference materials, pharmaceutical impurity reference standards, proficiency testing and training in analytical quality. LGC Standards is headquartered in Teddington, Middlesex, UK. Its global centre for excellence in proficiency testing is located in Bury (Greater Manchester). LGC Standards has offices in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK and representatives in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Romania and the US.
About LGC
LGC is an international science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic and diagnostic services and reference standards. A progressive and innovative enterprise, LGC operates in socially responsible fields underpinning the safety, health and security of the public and the regulation of industry, for UK government departments and blue chip clients.
LGC operates internationally through four divisions - LGC Forensics, Life & Food Sciences, LGC Standards and Research & Technology, which includes specialist laboratories delivering contracts under the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and supporting LGC's designated role as the UK's National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalysis.
Our methodology is extensively accredited to the international standard ISO 17025. With headquarters in Teddington, South West London, the LGC Group employs over 1200 staff in 21 laboratories and centres across Europe and in India. Privatised in 1996 and now majority-owned by funds managed by LGV Capital, LGC was founded over 150 years ago as the Laboratory of the Government Chemist - a statutory function maintained by LGC today.
