The world’s most extensive Drugs of Abuse Test Menu
The world’s most extensive Drugs of Abuse Test Menu
Randox Toxicology offers the most comprehensive Drugs of Abuse (DoA) test menu across multiple forensic matrices. Our level of expertise in toxicology research and development allows us to adapt quickly to the ever-changing market influences and develop assays for current and novel drugs trends. Excellent assay precision and performance eliminates false reporting, therefore reducing unnecessary confirmatory tests and time lost in the laboratory as a result. Our Biochip Arrays offer CVs typically less than 10%, producing an accurate drug profile to ensure confidence in results.
| DoA II | ||
| Buprenorphine | Ketamine | Oxycodone I |
| Creatinine | LSD | Oxycodone II |
| Fentanyl | MDMA | Propoxyphene |
| Generic Opioids | Methaqualone | – |
The Evidence Series of immunoassay analysers are powered by Biochip Array Technology and combine the latest technological advances for drug residue detection using immunoassay principles. The Drugs of Abuse II panel is available for both the Evidence and the Evidence Investigator analysers. The Evidence has a throughput of 90 samples per hour, testing up to 44 tests per sample. The Evidence is a fully automated batch immunoanalyser, allowing for 3960 tests per hour, while the Evidence Investigator is a semi-automated, bench top analyser with testing capabilities of 2376 tests in 70 minutes.
To find out more about our Biochip Array Technology and our Evidence Series analysers, visit www.randoxtoxicology.com, or email us at info@randoxtoxicology.com
Tackling Worldwide Drugs of Abuse
Throughout November, we’ve been highlighting how the Randox clinical teams – Randox Rx series, Randox Reagents and Randox QC – are aiding the fight against drugs of abuse.
Drugs of Abuse are a growing problem worldwide and represent a significant burden to healthcare systems as well as creating problems in an individual’s lifestyle. It has been estimated by the WHO (World Health Organisation) that 31 million people globally suffer from drug use disorders and 3.3 million deaths each year are linked to the abuse of both drugs and alcohol.
The abuse of drugs is one of the most pressing issues in the United States of America. Drug abuse not only affects the individual, but also can have far-reaching consequences that affect family, employment, personal health, health care systems, local communities, and society as a whole.
- Misuse of illicit drugs affects society through secondary costs incurred such as crime, reduced productivity at work, and health care expenses.
- Substance abuse costs the US health care system about $11 billion, with overall costs reaching $193 billion.
- Substance abuse and addiction also affects other areas of life and can cause broken families, destroyed careers, death due to negligence or accident, domestic violence, physical abuse and child abuse.
- Drug abuse and addiction changes the chemistry of your brain. The longer you use your drug of choice, the more damage is caused and it becomes more difficult to return to ‘normal’ during drug rehabilitation.
- In 2013, 22.7 million Americans needed treatment for a substance use disorder – almost 9% of the population over the age of 12. Only about 2.5 million received treatment as a specialist facility with 20% of admissions for opiate addication treatment and 17% for the treatment of marijuana abuse.
To find out more about how Randox is helping in the fight against Drugs of Abuse, please visit https://www.randox.com/drugs-of-abuse/ or for more information about Randox RX, Randox Reagents or Randox QC, please email marketing@randox.com.
We Are Randox | Match Report from FinTrU Ulster GAA Inter-Firms Junior Menās Competition
On Saturday 17th November 2018, hot on the heels of the Randox GAA Ladies team’s glorious competition début, our Men’s team took to the field at the Tyrone GAA Centre of Excellence, to compete in the Junior Men’s category of the FinTrU Ulster GAA Football Inter-Firms competition.
With our Ladies team having successfully reached the Semi-Finals of the competition the week prior, the pressure was on!
The two Randox Men’s teams were pooled in separate groups with strong opposition in both. Randox Team One faced a tough task with FinTru, Citi and South West College, whilst the second Randox Team were pitted against the GAA Store, Premier Electric and Belfast Lawyers.
Our Randox teams battled hard during this group stage and thanks to a creative team effort as well as some fantastic individual performances, they both made it to the knockout stages of the competition and into the quarter finals. Unfortunately though, the effort put in to make it out of the group stages had claimed a few key players to injury, which left the remaining men with a near impossible task ahead of them in the next stage of the competition
Team One was drawn against FinTru and Team Two against Belfast Lawyers. Regrettably, on the day both teams came out on the wrong side of the results in very competitive games against very experienced and seasoned teams.
John James Fallon, Randox Electrical Engineer and GAA Bainisteoir / Coach, commented;
“As newly-formed teams, who prior to the Inter-Firms competition had never played together before, both the men and ladies should be extremely proud. Fielding players who ranged from experienced to novice, and with only 5 weeks training, to have reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals of our respective categories has been exceptional.
“On behalf of the organising committee I would like to say thank you to Randox and Dr FitzGerald for their assistance in getting the team started, and to St James GAC Aldergrove for the use of their facilities and equipment over the course of the training sessions, as without their help this would not have been possible. Finally, a huge thank you has to go to the participants themselves, as without you there is no Randox GAA club. I’m looking forward to our next season together already.
“This is just the beginning.”
On behalf of everyone at Randox we would like to wish both our Ladies GAA Team and our two Men’s GAA teams a massive congratulations on their impressive performances at the FinTrU Ulster GAA Football Inter-Firms competition.
Their commitment, perseverance and teamwork has been truly inspiring and we are very proud of how they came together to form three very capable and motivated GAA teams. Well done!
For further information on our Randox GAA teams, please email johnjames.fallon@randox.com
Significant drop in veterinary antibiotics sales across Europe
Randox Food Diagnostics recently reported that the European Parliament has banned the use of antibiotics that are important for human medicine use on animals, and is prohibiting any antimicrobials in livestock without a vet prescription. The new legislation, that is to become law by 2022, states that antimicrobials cannot be used to improve performance or compensate for poor animal conditions.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) have now documented a significant drop in overall veterinary antibiotic sales across Europe. The EMA recognise that the reduction highlights the efforts made by the European Union (EU) and various stakeholders, promoting prudent use of antibiotics in the animal sector and its positive impact. The reduction of antibiotic use in food-producing animals is a key pillar to the EUs One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), according to a report conducted by the University of Minnesota.
30 countries in total submitted data between 2011 and 2016. German antibiotic sales dropped by 58%. However, whilst the majority of countries saw a drop in sales, six countries reported an increase of more than 5%. Germany’s implementation of an antibiotic minimising programme has helped the country to minimise antibiotic use, by requiring farmers raising cattle, pigs, chickens, or turkeys to report the frequency of antibiotic treatment on their farm every 6 months. If animal treatment frequency is above the median of all farms, operators must evaluate their usage with a veterinarian.
This major step forward in public health has a direct impact on the environment and food. Randox Food Diagnostics recognise the importance of improving the global food safety chain, and continue to transform the landscape by developing high quality revolutionary screening products. Our reliable and economic testing methods enable the user to detect multiple drug and toxin residues from a single sample, including antimicrobials, growth promoting compounds, synthetic steroids, anthelmintics and coccidiostats. With an expanding range of 37 ELISAs, 21 multiplex screening arrays and 20 enzymatic/colourmetric reagents, our trusted solutions ensure that better science means safer food.
For any questions, email us directly at: info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Reporting, Expert Witness and Medical Review Services from RTS
RTS Reporting Services
At Randox Testing Services we provide a number of reporting options to our customers, including expert witness reports and medical reviews to add clarity and expert examination to results.
Expert Witness Services
An Expert Witness Report is an interpretation of the results of a drug or alcohol test. It provides a detailed explanation of whether or not substances tested for were detected as well as information regarding chain of custody compliance and testing procedures.
As trusted industry experts Randox Testing Services staff are trained to act as Expert Witnesses in legal cases involving drug and alcohol testing. Our experienced team of Reporting Scientists have undergone extensive Expert Witness training to provide professional witness statements or fully written reports for use as evidence in a court of law or industrial tribunals.
Where required a Senior Toxicologist from Randox Testing Services can attend legal proceedings in person to provide expert witness testimony.
Medical Review Services
Our medical review service offers independent and expert examination of positive results under medical confidentiality.
A positive result from a drug and alcohol analysis is a cause for concern. However, there are some cases when there is a legitimate medical reason for the result. Our medical review service allows for the independent and confidential review of the result to determine the cause of a positive result, for example, if an employee is taking prescription medication.
The Medical Review Officer (MRO) assesses a positive result in the light of the donor’s medical background to determine if there is a legitimate medical reason for the result. The MRO helps protect both the rights of the employee being tested and the employer requiring the testing.
Randox Testing Services
At Randox Testing Services we offer customers access to our expertise through providing various reporting options to customers. These reporting services can be utilised in cases where extra clarity or examination is needed to investigate the outcome of a drugs test. These reports are utilised by workplaces as well as those operating within the medico-legal sector.
For more information on our training, education and reporting services, click here.
If you would like to find out more about our drug and alcohol testing programs, contact us today to speak to one of our experience business development executives.
Web: www.randoxtestingservices.com
Email: testingservices@randox.com
Phone: +44 (0) 28 9445 1011
We Are Randox | Software Developer Scott McPeake on life in the Randox IT department
Have you heard about our IT Open Evening on Tuesday 20th November? We’re offering those interested in Software Development, Information Security, Web Design and IT Support the opportunity to have a look around our state-of-the-art IT facilities at the Randox Science Park.
But as a company known throughout the world for its high-quality health diagnostic products, you may have been surprised to hear that we have such wide-ranging roles available in Information Technology.
“Randox? Isn’t that just for scientists?” we hear you say.
We turned to Randox IT Software Developer Scott McPeake for the answer. This is what he said.
“I imagine if you were to ask my friends from my Computer Science course at university, if they previously knew that Randox offers jobs in IT, they would say no.
But really, it’s not surprising when you think about it. Technology underpins everything we do in life. Everything is moving digital, and everything digital involves software in some shape or form.
Even jobs which you assume are predominantly tech-free – let’s say for example, a bus driver – use technology every day. A bus driver relies on technology to administer tickets and to plan their travel routes. It truly is everywhere and it’s only going to expand more.
Without an innovative IT department, Randox wouldn’t be the successful and reputable company it is today. If there was no IT team, there would be no lab equipment, no websites, no apps. Even organisations who don’t specialise in IT still have it as a core function of the company.
In the Software Development team, in particular, we design and develop the software used in laboratories to compare results from instruments and samples against other laboratories, to see how these results compare.
It’s important work, as all our scientists rely on us to be able to do their work in providing blood test results to patients across the world. Our software needs to be operating perfectly to ensure people are getting the correct results and therefore the correct diagnosis. And that’s what makes Randox so reputable.
Access to technologies
Being part of a company that is so well established and successful also means that we get exposed to the latest innovations. With IT influencing so much of what we do here, we’re at the forefront of all projects and developments, and are given access to the most up-to-date technologies to make sure we’re providing the best possible products and user experience for our customers, and can stay head of our competitors.
We’re able therefore to bring to management our ideas about what new software we would like to try, to suggest how it would improve our work. So new software is coming in all the time. I’m currently working with MVC architecture which is a key software framework used widely across the world. It’s definitely something good to get experience in, as is typescript, which although not used as much, is really interesting, and I’ve certainly enjoyed the opportunity to try something new.
We also work with C# and javascript which are popular, up-to-date products. So whilst the industry of health diagnostics is rather niche, we have the opportunity to use design patterns that are used by most companies, in most industries, to realise our aim of advancing global healthcare.
And of course, working in Randox, we also get the opportunity to learn about the science of diagnostics, and in particular the machines on which we’re implementing our software designs, which carry out blood testing in hospitals and laboratories. It’s good to challenge yourself to learn something new.
Teamwork and collaboration
The chance to expand your knowledge and improve your skills repertoire is probably one of my favourite things about working here at Randox. Everyone works really collaboratively and we help each other out when we need it. So if you don’t know something, no one is going to chastise you. Asking for help and advice is actively encouraged because we each have our own strengths and weaknesses and we can help each other to be a better team. Everyone in the Randox IT team is really willing to help and makes time for you if you need it.
I remember on my first day here I was really nervous and I arrived at the door unable to get in because it was locked. Someone in the team immediately came to the door, asked me if I was new and welcomed me in to the building. That instantly set the tone. Everyone was really welcoming, friendly and professional.
And this ability to work together is so crucial. Most days we will be working on the same site but perhaps on different pages so we have to talk to each other to make sure my page doesn’t break theirs and vice versa. Quite often we’ll design the layout of the software collaboratively, and most days we’ll have a morning meeting to discuss our progress.
If we’re creating something new, we’ll draw up the design based on user requirements and create the software to those designs. Or if an existing site doesn’t work properly, we’ll write up the problem, how to solve it, and then push it up to the production server to fix the bugs.
Fundamental skills
So communication is fundamental, as is problem solving. Being able to keep calm under pressure is also an inherent skill for programming. Deadlines happen; they’re a real thing. You can’t take all day to do something. But it keeps things challenging for us, which is vital, as you don’t want to put your brain to sleep. The work is challenging but solvable, and as I said, you have the team there to help you out and support you.
We all get on really well and the more experienced software developers in the team have been such great mentors to me. If you’re interested in working in IT I would certainly recommend coming along to our IT Open Evening on Tuesday 20th November so that you can meet all of us and have the opportunity to take a tour of our brand-new facilities in the Randox Science Park.
Working in Antrim
The site is really spacious, modern, and easy to get to. For me, coming from Coleraine, I’m just able to get the train to the Antrim station, which is right beside the bus station aswell.
And Antrim has everything you could need. Shops, supermarkets, nice affordable places to live, and plenty of cafés and restaurants. Sometimes we’ll head out as a team in to Antrim for lunch or dinner together, or if we fancy Belfast, it’s just a short journey on the train.
So if you’re interested in a dynamic career in software development, take the trip to Antrim to find out a bit more about what Randox has to offer during our Open Evening on 20th November.
You might not have thought of Randox as a software house but we’re here and we’re working hard to improve healthcare globally!”
To attend the Randox IT Open Evening on Tuesday 20th November, register for tickets on EventBrite by clicking here.
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
We Are Randox | Randox Ladies reach FinTrU Ulster GAA Inter-Firms Semi-Final
On Saturday 10th November 2018, Randox Ladies GAA team took to the field at the Tyrone GAA Centre of Excellence, Garvaghey, to compete in the FinTrU Ulster GAA Football Inter-Firms competition.
Catering for all levels of skills and fitness, the Inter-Firms competition is a tournament open specifically to workplaces across Ulster, in which teams can represent their workplace in Gaelic games.
On the day of the tournament, the Randox Ladies were placed in a group alongside Premier Electric, Options IT and FinTrU, and the first 7-a-side group match saw the ladies up against Premier Electric, who from the start proved to be very tough and experienced opponents.
Team Randox met the challenge head on however, and were leading the game from start to finish until a second goal against the run of play narrowly denied the Randox Ladies the win in the last minute of the game.
For their second match of the tournament, the Randox Ladies showed great character and hunger to bounce back and defeat Options IT 2-6 to no score, in what was an outstanding performance. This victory was not without cost though, as the ladies were forced to battle on in spite of a few injuries.
The final group game against financial services company FinTrU proved to be the toughest match for the Randox Ladies. Having played two games back to back, with numerous injuries gained along the way, the game was always going to be a difficult one, but once again the ladies showed a fantastic attitude, battling hard in all areas.
With their exceptional performance in the group stage, the Randox Ladies found themselves in the semi-final of the cup competition against last year’s winners South West College. From the first whistle, the ladies put everything on the line, running themselves into the ground despite injury and fatigue.
SWC picked up a few early points and then scored two goals against the run of play which would have finished off any experienced team, but with minutes remaining Randox admirably battled up the field to score two goals of their own to bring the game to within a score. In the end though the SWC ladies survived to hang on for a narrow win and went head-to-head in the final against eventual tournament winners FinTrU.
Randox Ladies emerged from their GAA début in an impressive third place.
John James Fallon, Randox Electrical Engineer and Bainisteoir / Coach for Randox Ladies GAA Team, commented;
“What the Randox Ladies have done in such a short time is a fantastic achievement. Most have never played Gaelic football before so for them to go out and to be able to keep up with the pace of very experienced players is nothing short of amazing. They should be extremely proud of themselves and with the men’s competition this Saturday the bar has been set extremely high indeed. Well done team!”
The 2018 FinTrU Ulster GAA Football Inter-Firms Junior Men’s Competition will take place on Saturday 17th November at the Tyrone GAA Centre of Excellence. We wish our Men’s team all the best!
For further information about Randox GAA, please email johnjames.fallon@randox.com
Left to Right: Christine Maybin, Ciara Shaw, Ashleigh McKinstry, Maria McLaughlin, Rachel Walls, Rebecca Molloy, Maeve McAllister, Rachel McCloy, Amy Best
(Team members missing from photo; Claire Donnelly and Jeanette Doherty)
Randox Cerebral Arrays on the Evidence Series Immunoanalysers
The Evidence is the world’s first protein Biochip Array Technology Analyser (BAT). The awarding winning Biochip Array Technology is a multi-analyte testing platform allowing the simultaneous quantitative or qualitative detection of a wide range of analytes from a single sample.
The Evidence is a fully automated immunoanalyser which is renowned for higher standards of quality, efficiency and reliability. It is tailored and more suitable in a wide range of settings including hospital laboratories, clinical laboratories, private and public research applications, veterinary laboratories, forensic and clinical toxicology and pharmaceutical applications.
There are many key features for The Evidence, including the ability to carry out multiplex testing which will allow multiple tests to be carried out from a single patient sample as a result. It reduces the amount of labour spent on the individual tests and therefore saves money and time. The analyser is more suitable for larger laboratories with a throughput of >1500 tests per hour with a fully automated system maximising the walk away time – allowing staff to devote their time to other important tasks.
The multi-analyte barcoded controls and calibrators ensure security, accuracy and reliable laboratory testing. They also allow for full traceability making the overall experience easier. It offers a wide-ranging and diverse test menu which offer more tests than other sole suppliers and this will benefit many research areas including immunology, metabolic, cardiovascular and oncology.
Neurological conditions can affect young and old people and result from damage to the brain, spine or nerves which is triggered by an illness or an injury1. Up to 1 billion people (one in six of the world’s population suffer from neurological disorders from Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, strokes, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy 2. In England the number of deaths from neurological disorders have rose by 39% over the past 13 years3.
Randox offers two Cerebral Arrays which have been designed for the simultaneous measurement of analytes associated with nervous system dysfunctions such as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The Arrays can measure up to five biomarkers simultaneously. They are suitable for human serum, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Additionally, it offers excellent sensitivity, precision and recovery as well as analytical performance.
For more information on our Evidence Series or Cerebral range of Assays, contact us at EvidenceSeries@randox.com
- http://www.neural.org.uk/living-with-a-neurological-condition/what-is-a-neurological-condition
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2007/02/210312-nearly-1-6-worlds-population-suffer-neurological-disorders-un-report
- https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1278
Ireland-U.S. Council honour Randox founder with Business Relations Award
The Ireland-U.S. Council in America have this week presented the founder of healthcare diagnostics company Randox Laboratories with an award marking significant achievement in building relations between Northern Ireland and the United States of America.
Presented to Dr Peter FitzGerald at the 56th Annual Dinner of the Ireland-U.S. Council yesterday evening, the accolade, named the Cúchulainn award, recognizes the efforts of individuals who go above and beyond to support the objectives of the Ireland-U.S. Council – to improve the business bonds and commercial connections between Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States.
Joining an exclusive line-up of some of the most prominent business figures in both Ireland and the United States recognized by the Ireland-U.S. Council, including CEO of International Airlines Group William Walsh, Dr FitzGerald was presented with the prestigious award at The Metropolitan Club in New York City.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, commented;
“I am most honoured to be here this evening to accept the Cúchulainn award from the Ireland-U.S. Council in recognition of the work undertaken by Randox in the United States since the early 1980s when we began to export our diagnostic healthcare products. The United States remains one of Randox’s most important markets, in which we are growing at pace thanks to the ongoing development of innovative new products in not only the healthcare sector, but also the veterinary, research, toxicology and food safety industries.”
The Ireland-U.S. Council was founded in 1962 by a group of American and Irish business leaders as a measure to build an established structure which would encourage closer economic relations, and was initially created to assist in making preparations for the first-ever State Visit of a sitting U.S. President to Ireland by President John F. Kennedy from June 26 – 29 in 1963.
David O’Sullivan, Executive Director of the Ireland–U.S. Council, added;
“Ever since the State Visit to Ireland by President John F. Kennedy, the Ireland-U.S. Council has been engaged in efforts to achieve our transatlantic mission. Dr FitzGerald of Randox Laboratories truly embodies the essence of this mission by aligning his business in Ireland closely with businesses in the US, to maximise the positive outcomes for both parties. We are delighted to present him this evening with the Cúchulainn award – for the significant contributions he has made to the development of closer economic, business and commercial ties between our two nations.”
For further information please email randoxpr@randox.com
Randox creates 25 new positions in specialist IT roles in Antrim
Healthcare diagnostics company Randox has today announced 25 new specialist IT roles ranging from Software Development and Information Security to Web Design and IT Support.
The roles, which will span a variety of career pathways, including placements, graduates, apprenticeships and permanent positions, will be based at the firm’s new headquarters, the Randox Science Park in Antrim, which will host an IT Open Evening on Tuesday 20th November.
Those in attendance at the Open Evening will be invited to enjoy a tour of the Randox Science Park, which, following purchase by Randox in 2015, is being developed into a manufacturing and research facility in an investment totalling £161m. The ongoing renovation plans, when complete, will have created a total of 540 high value job opportunities at the site, with an average salary of £30k per year that will generate £16.2 million in annual salaries.
Stephen Fawl, Randox IT Manager, commented;
“Working at the cutting edge of technology and innovation, the Randox IT department design and develop a range of web-based applications and software, support the tech infrastructure of more than 1400 employees worldwide, and implement the very latest in security protocols. It’s no surprise therefore that we’re seeking the very best talent to join our team – offering competitive salaries, career progression, personal development and the opportunity to work in an incredibly forward-thinking company. We invite anybody who is interested in a dynamic career in IT to visit us from 6-8pm on the 20th November for our Open Evening at the Randox Science Park.”
Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, added;
“As a global leader in healthcare diagnostics, we must continue innovating, through our people, through our world-class R&D, and through our infrastructure. With technology heavily influencing so much of what we do, the Randox IT department remain at the forefront of our capability and have a critical role to play in the delivery of cutting-edge innovation. The newly-refurbished IT facilities at the Randox Science Park in Antrim give the team there the platform to engage across a broad range of projects, to make a real and important impact upon global healthcare.”
Randox, renowned for the placement and employment opportunities it provides students and graduates at both Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, has recently launched an ‘Earn As Your Learn’ Higher Level Apprenticeship in Computing, with Northern Regional College.
Through the ‘Career Encode’ programme, Randox is offering three-year apprenticeship vacancies in the IT department, in addition to a range of senior roles for the more experienced IT professional. The apprenticeship scheme is equivalent to a foundation degree and provides a clear progression route for apprentices to train to the highest level whilst gaining a professional qualification.
Councillor Paul Michael, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, commented;
“The creation of these specialist IT jobs for the Antrim community, as a direct result of Randox’s ongoing investment and expansion is further proof, if needed, of their commitment to the regional economy. To be able to offer both experienced and aspiring IT professionals, whether students, graduates or full-time IT specialists, the opportunity to work in such high-calibre roles so close to home is an incredibly unique opportunity and I look forward to welcoming new IT staff to the fantastic Randox Science Park facilities.”
Randox Laboratories currently employ 1400 employees globally, 800 of which are based in its Northern Ireland sites in Crumlin and Antrim.
Register your interest for the Randox IT Open Evening by collecting your free tickets here.
For further information about the Randox IT Open Evening, please contact Randox PR by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413.
Randox IT Manager Stephen Fawl and Senior Recruitment Consultant Lyndsay Rodgerson are pictured with Councillor Paul Michael, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, at the launch of Randox’s 25 new specialist IT roles