The Impact of Coronavirus on Drug Use in Europe
The Impact of Coronavirus on Drug Use in Europe
15 March 2021: Impact of Coronavirus on Drug Use in Europe
The effect of COVID-19 on the consumption of drugs in Europe has been varied depending on the drug type concerned. Overall, 51.6% of participants in a survey have increased their drug or alcohol consumption and 57.3% reported taking drugs more frequently. The main explanations for these inclines are due to boredom and anxiety, likely due to the imposed restrictions of strict lockdown measures.
According to Statista, Cannabis remains to be the most popular drug used within Europe as 27.2% of respondents revealed that they have used the drug in their lifetime compared to only 5.4% using cocaine. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, regular users of Cannabis have increased their usage, however it is important to note that this has only affected 10% of respondents.
There has been a major hold on the party lifestyle with the shut-down of nightclubs and lack of festival events. As well as, a decrease in the supply of readily available drugs on the market resulting from transport restrictions at country borders. This has impacted the usage of recreational drugs such as cocaine, LSD and MDMA which have seen a decline. The Global Drug Survey revealed that 40% of respondents have used these drugs less during the pandemic.
This detrimental trend has resulted in the domestic production of synthetic opioids. There is a very high risk that substitutes such as fentanyl will become more common. This prediction is concerning due to the dangers associated with such drugs leading to addiction and overdoses. For instance, fentanyl compared to heroin is 50 times stronger.
Public Health England has also released a warning relating to the rise in illegally produced prescription drugs sold as benzodiazepines. These cause harmful health issues due to the mix of unsafe and unknown components.
Randox Toxicology
Randox Toxicology are helping to fight drug trafficking by continually investing in new technologies to aid in the rapid and large-scale screening for drugs of abuse. We are world leaders in drug screening solutions with the capability of detecting over 500 drug and drug metabolites using our innovative Biochip Array Technology – the most comprehensive on the drug testing market. Our patented Biochip Array Technology works across a variety of matrices including whole blood, urine, oral fluid, meconium, vitreous humor and hair.
Using our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology, the Evidence MultiSTAT is a fully automated benchtop analyser that enables onsite, simultaneous testing for up to 21 classical, synthetic or prescription drugs from a single sample in under 20 minutes. This quick and highly reliable technology makes it perfect for use in non-laboratory settings for people with no lab experience.
To find out more about our Biochip Array Technology and our Evidence Series range of analysers, visit www.randoxtoxicology.com or email info@randoxtoxicology.com
For those who’ve beaten addiction in their own lives Rehab 4 Addiction is a free addiction helpline. Click here.
Randox Toxicology Products and Services
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Record Seizure of Synthetic Drugs in Spain: A Randox Toxicology Blog
05 February 2021: Record Seizure of Synthetic Drugs in Spain
In a record seizure of synthetic drugs for Spain, police have confiscated approximately 827,000 ecstasy tablets, 76kg of speed, 39.5kg of crystal meth and 217 litres of liquid amphetamine at the start of 2021.
Eleven people – from Spain, the Netherlands, Romania, Colombia and Italy – were arrested during a joint investigation by the Guardia Civil and national police forces, according to a statement. The police operation, which lasted nearly a year, resulted in the largest synthetic drugs seizure in Spain, and second-largest ecstasy seizure in Europe over the past 20 years.
The criminal organisation was described as “the most important criminal organisation dedicated to the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs in the history of Spanish drug trafficking”.
Once the large haul was in Spain, the drugs were planned to be processed in two laboratories set up in Barcelona.
“It’s worth noting that of all the substances seized, the 217 litres of liquid amphetamine would – had it been processed in the organisation’s Barcelona laboratories – have produced 738kg of speed, making it the biggest ever amphetamine seizure in Spain,” a statement said.
Randox Toxicology
Randox Toxicology are helping to fight drug trafficking by continually investing in new technologies to aid in the rapid and large-scale screening for drugs of abuse. We are world leaders in drug screening solutions with the capability of detecting over 500 drug and drug metabolites using our innovative Biochip Array Technology – the most comprehensive on the drug testing market. Our patented Biochip Array Technology works across a variety of matrices including whole blood, urine, oral fluid, meconium, vitreous humor and hair.
Using our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology, the Evidence MultiSTAT is a fully automated benchtop analyser that enables onsite, simultaneous testing for up to 21 classical, synthetic or prescription drugs from a single sample in under 20 minutes. This quick and highly reliable technology makes it perfect for use in non-laboratory settings for people with no lab experience.
To find out more about our Biochip Array Technology and our Evidence Series range of analysers, visit www.randoxtoxicology.com or email info@randoxtoxicology.com
For those who’ve beaten addiction in their own lives Rehab 4 Addiction is a free addiction helpline. Click here.
Randox Toxicology Products and Services
BIOCHIP
EVIDENCE
ELISA
MATRICES
Want to know more about Randox?
Contact us or visit our homepage to view more.
U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Resurge to Record During the Pandemic
22 October 2020: U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Resurge to Record During the Pandemic
Drug overdose deaths in the USA rose to a record high in 2019, after falling for the first time for 25 years in 2018. Almost 72,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2019 according to the preliminary data that was released by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year.
Though there is currently no hard data available, there is speculation that the pandemic is complicating and worsening the surge, as 2020 looks to be even more devastating than 2019. Data collected by The New York Times saw for the first half of 2020 drug overdose deaths have risen by an average of 13 percent across America compared to last year. If this trend continues into the rest of the year, it will be the sharpest rise in annual drug deaths since 2016, when fentanyl made its way into US drug trafficking and street supply.
Increased funding toward addiction treatment, prevision and recovery services did shows signs of improving overdose deaths. Though the government has made this positive headway in the last few years in how they tackle the drug epidemic in America, this progress could be threatened by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier in the month, Brett Giroir, the administration’s assistant secretary for health, said in a statement, “We understand that there is an extraordinary amount of work to do, especially now as we are also dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic that could markedly affect our nation’s mental health and risk of substance use.”
Several public health experts said conditions created by the pandemic could hurt the nation’s fragile progress in fighting the surge of drug deaths but noted that the overdose rate was on its way back up well before the virus arrived. “Covid just makes it a bit worse,” said Dr. Dan Ciccarone, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies the opioid epidemic. “It’s a small wave riding on top of a tsunami that continues to devastate.”
Although official statistics on 2020 overdose deaths won’t be available for a long time, there is local evidence showing drug related deaths are rising into 2020.
Increase in Drug related deaths from 2019 through the first portion of 2020
Though a lot of this data precedes the coronavirus pandemic, researchers believe there are several reasons why the virus could worsen the trend.
When state lockdowns first began in March, Dr. Anna Lembke, a clinician with Stanford’s Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, noticed many of her patients showing signs of improving. “Many patients described a kind of peacefulness without the constant hubbub of modern life and the constant triggers they’re exposed to,” she said.
However, in response to the virus, the US government has done something unheard-of: it relaxed rules and regulations around prescribing methadone and buprenorphine, two commonly prescribed opioid addiction treatments. Patients no longer needed to attend daily in person appointments to receive their methadone prescriptions and could instead be given 4 weeks’ worth at a time. Doctors no longer need to meet in person to prescribe buprenorphine.
This was initially celebrated as a positive change, however as the pandemic has progressed and people have remained isolated, lockdown has become harmful to people with mental health issues and drug addiction disorders.
“Social isolation has always been a huge component of drug overdose risk,” said Traci Green, an epidemiologist at Brown University who studies drug abuse and addiction. “So much of what we’ve been trying to do has been completely unravelled.”
Experts have pointed to other dangers lockdown poses such as;
- Lack of revival fall back from other users due to an increase in solo drug users
- Less emotional support as in person visits are scaled back
- Inconsistent drug strength and quality
- Supply or income disruption leading to inconsistent drug use habits and accidental overdose
Randox Toxicology
Using our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology, the Evidence MultiSTAT is a fully automated benchtop analyser that enables onsite, simultaneous testing for up to 21 classical, synthetic or prescription drugs from a single sample in under 20 minutes. This quick and highly reliable technology makes it perfect for use in hospitals and medical centres, as pressure increases with the rising number of drug overdose deaths in the US.
Randox Toxicology Products and Services
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Chicago’s Rising Fentanyl Problem: A Randox Toxicology Report
Chicago’s Rising Fentanyl Problem: A Randox Toxicology Report
Abuse of opioids, and in particular, fentanyl, has been on the rise in the United States in recent years. The number of patients being prescribed painkillers has almost quadrupled since the 90s from 76 million to 289 million in 2016. It has been described as a uniquely American problem, where pain relief prescriptions are about 40% higher than other developed countries.
Inevitably due to the high addiction rate of opioids, this has unfortunately led to increasing overdose deaths. In 2017 alone over 70,000 people died from drug overdoses in the USA with opioids being involved in 67.8% of cases.
Chicago Illinois is no exception to this crisis. The National Institute of Drug Abuse found that Illinois has a rate of 17.2 deaths per 100,000 people from opioid overdoses, compared to the national average of 14.6. It is not only prescription painkillers that are adding to the opioid addiction crisis in Chicago, but substances such as fentanyl that is illegally sold on the street.
Fentanyl is a cheaper, synthetic opioid which can be 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is commonly added to heroin to increase strength and cut costs. Many users believe they are purchasing heroin when in fact it can be mostly fentanyl, resulting in rising overdose deaths. The DEA’s Chicago lab have stated that the drug is making up a more of their workload than ever and becoming a regular drug they see.
Randox Toxicology
Randox Toxicology are world leaders in drug testing solutions with the capability of detecting over 500 drug and drug metabolites using our innovative Biochip Array Technology – the most comprehensive on the drug testing market. Using our revolutionary patented Biochip Array Technology, the Evidence MultiSTAT is a fully automated benchtop analyzer that enables on-site simultaneous detection of up to 21 classical, prescription and synthetic drugs of abuse from a single sample.
Designed to work across a variety of matrices including; whole blood, urine, and oral fluid our patented multi-analyte testing platform provides a complete and highly accurate toxicology profile in 17-20 minutes. Most impressively the MultiSTAT has been designed to be fully operated from sample input to results output by someone with absolutely no laboratory experience and in any environment.
To find out more about our Biochip Array Technology and our Evidence Series range of analysers, visit www.randoxtoxicology.com or email info@randoxtoxicology.com
Randox Toxicology Products and Services
BIOCHIP
EVIDENCE
ELISA
MATRICES
Want to know more about Randox?
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Illicit drugs costs the USA more than $740 billion annually
18 February 2020
Illicit drugs affecting the US economy
Illicit drugs costs the USA more than $740 billion annually
The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is extremely costly to the USA, exacting more than $740 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care, according to a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
A substantial number of 70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017. Opioids are currently the main driver of drug overdose deaths. Opioids were involved in some 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017 (67.8% of all drug overdose deaths).
In 2017, the states with the highest rates of death due to drug overdose were West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and Kentucky. States with statistically significant increases in drug overdose death rates from 2016 to 2017 included Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Randox Toxicology are first to market when it comes to testing for the latest drugs of abuse and new psychoactive substances on the market. Our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology provides state-of-the-art drug detection, utilizing simultaneous drug detection from a single sample across multiple matrices.
To find out more join us at AAFS February 17-22, Anaheim Convention Center, booth #508. Our reps Pankaj, Khushbu and Matt will be there demonstrating our Biochip technology and our Evidence MultiSTAT.
You can also email us at: info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit our website: www.randoxtoxicology.com
Randox Toxicology Products and Services
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EVIDENCE
ELISA
MATRICES
Want to know more about Randox?
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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 pioneers health testing innovations at worldās largest diagnostics conference
World-leading medical diagnostics manufacturer Randox Laboratories is this week showcasing advancements in biotechnology at the world’s largest diagnostics conference, being held in Chicago, Illinois.
The American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, known as the leading event for laboratory medicine worldwide, offers Randox the opportunity to showcase their capabilities to more than 20,000 healthcare professionals and decision makers from around the globe.
“Our pioneering diagnostic technologies are leading the way in innovation and have real potential to transform healthcare around the world,” said Randox Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald.
“At AACC we will be hosting demonstrations of a wide range of our intuitive multiplex analysers, including the revolutionary Randox Evidence Evolution, the world’s first fully automated random-access testing platform, capable of delivering 2640 results in one hour, with the first delivered in just 37 minutes.”
The unique and unrivalled capabilities of the Randox Evidence Evolution are made possible thanks to Randox’s patented Biochip Array Technology, which can currently run 49 different tests simultaneously – ensuring an accurate and reliable diagnosis as fast as possible.
Launching at this year’s AACC event are a number of exciting new tests on the Randox Biochip, the result of a £280 million investment in research and development. Including but not exclusive to a diagnostic test for the differentiation of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, an algorithm capable of generating a patient’s Type 1 Diabetes Genetic Risk Score, and a test to diagnose Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in the participants of pharmaceutical drug trials, these new tests all share the common goal of much earlier and effective diagnosis, to greatly improve healthcare outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare services.
Dr. FitzGerald continued;
“We remain committed to developing new health diagnostic technologies for a range of the world’s most pressing health issues in need of the most urgent address, and to expanding the business in our key markets, such as the US.
“Our very significant investment in research and development means that we have more new tests in development than any other healthcare company in the world and are able each year to bring a wealth of exciting new technologies to the American market.
“We look forward to showcasing our latest innovations at this year’s AACC conference, and how they can be utilised to save, improve and extend lives through the earliest possible diagnosis. Randox technology can truly revolutionise the future of healthcare.”
AACC runs from the 29th July – 2nd August at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Randox can be found at booth #3624.
For further information visit aacc.randox.com
Extreme Weather Results in High Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination
Mycotoxin contamination is a real and constant threat for feed and animal compound producers globally. Recently the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontairo stated that the different geographical locations of cattle mean between 10 and 20 mycotoxins can be present at once. This is a result of extreme weather patterns across the US with excess moisture and drought in different areas causing an increase in the frequency of mycotoxins, creating challenges in protecting livestock from ingesting contaminated feed.
The most common mycotoxins found are Aflatoxin, Fusarium, Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone. Aflatoxin is produced by Aspergillus flavus, a tropical fungus that thrives in high humidity and affects an animal’s liver, causing cancer in more extreme cases. Fusarium can develop in most temperate climates across the U.S and Canada. Fusarium poses a higher threat than other toxins as there are hundreds of different chemical structures to analyse to enable identification of the Fusarium.
Difficulties also arise in finding an analytical method sensitive enough to detect mycotoxins at low levels of contamination as small amounts can still lead to fatal results in horses, dogs and cats.
To prevent mycotoxin infection in feed, processors can implement a routine screening procedure with the help of Randox Food Diagnostics. Randox Food offer a multiplex screening system for the simultaneous detection of up to 10 of the world’s most prevalent mycotoxins including: Paxilline, Fumonisins (part of the Fusarium group), Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin G1/G2, Aflatoxin B1/B2, Ergot Alkaloids, Diacetoxyscirpenol, Deoxynivalenol, T2 Toxin and Zearalenone. All compounds are screened at low limits of detection using Biochip Array Technology.
Biochip Array Technology is a patented technology created by Randox to facilitate the detection of contaminants and drug residues with over 20 evaluated matrices in feed (see full list below).
| Animal Feed (Complete) | Millet | Sunflower |
| Barley | Mustard Seed | Wheat |
| Beet | Palm Kernel | Grass |
| Buckwheat | Rapeseed | Whey |
| Corn/Maize | Rice | Linseed |
| Cotton Seed | Rye | Feed Pea |
| Distillers Grain | Silage | Vetches (Vica) |
| Hay | Soya | Oat |
To learn more about Mycotoxin testing with Randox Food Diagnostics email, info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Randox launching new product range at leading laboratory medicine event in USA
A group of 30 delegates from global healthcare company Randox Laboratories has this week travelled to the USA, to take part in the world’s largest diagnostics conference – in San Diego, California.
The American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, known as the leading event for laboratory medicine worldwide, is attended by over 20,000 delegates from across the globe, and offers Randox the opportunity to showcase their capabilities and to network with leading healthcare professionals and key decision makers.
Launching at this year’s event are a number of innovative and exciting new products, including a test for Acute Kidney Injury, a revolutionary diagnostic for small, dense low density lipoprotein (sLDL), a subtype of LDL cholesterol which is a vital risk marker for cardiovascular disease, and the latest in laboratory quality assurance software.
Chief Scientist at Randox Laboratories, John Lamont, who is heading up the delegation to the US, commented;
“Our very significant investment in research and development means that we have more new tests in development than any other healthcare company in the world. Each year at AACC we are able to bring a wealth of exciting new technologies to the American market, for a range of the world’s pressing health issues in need of the most urgent address. We look forward to showcasing our latest innovations at this year’s AACC conference, and to identifying further potential projects.”
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, commented;
“We appreciate that post-Brexit there will of course be particular business challenges with regards to international business, but at Randox we will remain committed to developing new health diagnostic technologies in the areas where they are needed most, and to expanding the business in our key markets, such as the US.
“The USA is one of our most important markets and we have been exporting our diagnostic products there since the early 1980s. We will continue to nurture our presence there, the expansion of which will be supported by our soon to be opened facility in Kearneysville, West Virginia, which will enable us to strengthen our position in that market.”
AACC runs from the 30th July – 3rd August at the San Diego Convention Centre. Randox can be found at booth #3839.
For further information about Randox at AACC please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox named in US-Ireland Top 50 Companies at New York New Belfast conference
Global healthcare company Randox, which is headquartered in Co Antrim and has key R&D, engineering and manufacturing facilities in both Co Antrim and Co Donegal, has been named in The US-Ireland Top 50 Companies, to be announced today, Friday 16th June, at the New York/New Belfast conference in Manhattan.
With a focus on the transatlantic operations building bridges between the two countries, the awards celebrate those bringing business in Ireland to global heights in the belief that by doing so they are embedding peace for future generations.
The 50 honourees will be announced at a gala event hosted by the Irish Echo, the USA’s largest and most widely read Irish American weekly paper, at Pier A, Harbor House.
The tenth annual celebration will be addressed by Constance Hunter, Chief Economist of KPMG and Daniel Dromm, NYC City Council member and Chair of the Education Committee, and takes place as part of the two-day conference. This prestigious event highlights the progress and prosperity of both cities, and looks optimistically to the future while celebrating our shared past.
Movie makers, scientists, tech companies and engineers have been among those who have received the plaudit in recent years. They have included the all-conquering production company, HBO; leading law firm A&L Goodbody; pioneers in scientific imaging Andor Technology and the New York Stock Exchange.
This year’s US-Ireland Top 50 has proven to be just as illustrious with Randox Laboratories, Northern Property, Norwegian Airlines, and Bank of Ireland as just some of the companies being recognised for their success.
Editor of the Irish Echo, Ray O’Hanlon, who will host Friday’s event, said the awards were an acknowledgment of the unique bonds between the two nations.
“The unmistakable and unbreakable bonds between Ireland and the United States have proven a key element in Ireland’s progression, both in terms of peace and prosperity. Those bonds grow ever stronger when underpinned by economic growth and business relationships. With the Ireland-US Top 50 we acknowledge those companies whose transatlantic operations support that ongoing development and welcome them to this illustrious list of business beacons.”
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, commented;
“The US is one of our most important markets and we have been exporting our diagnostic products there since the early 1980s. We have seen substantial success in this market and have secured for example, key clinical chemistry analyser contracts in Ivy League Institutions such as Yale University School of Medicine and Harvard University.
“Our diversification into the veterinary, research, forensic and food safety sectors has enabled our operations in the US to expand further still, and due to this increasing demand for Randox innovations, we are developing a new facility in the Greater Washington DC area.
“It is a tribute to the entire Randox team, both in Co Antrim and Co Donegal, that we have been named as one of the US-Ireland Top 50. We hope to serve as an example to other aspiring businesses that success is possible with a unique product offering, a commitment to investment, and making use of the support network available across the United States.”
For further information about the New York New Belfast Conference contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
