Tag Archives | Drug Testing

Fingerprint Analysis Technology Aims To Revolutionize Drug Testing

By on July 26, 2011 in News 17
Photo: Fretti (CC)

Photo: Fretti (CC)

When someone drives a vehicle while drunk there are plenty of road side tests that police can perform to confirm the drivers intoxication. For many other drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, there are signs of intoxication, but no immediate method of proof. Often, urine or blood samples must be taken at the police station, which must then be processed to confirm the what and how much of the substance taken. New develops allow a person’s sweat to give more instant results.The Raw Story reports:

A new technology that analyzes the sweat from a person’s fingertips looks to revolutionize the drug testing market, providing on-site results in minutes with a test so advanced it can even detect marijuana intoxication.

Using gold nanoparticles and special antibodies, the tech produced by British firm Intelligent Fingerprinting latches on to metabolites on the fingerprint and turns a specific color depending on which drug byproducts are detected.

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Drugs Help ‘Reduce’ HIV Transmission

By on May 13, 2011 in News 27
HIV-1 particles assembling at the surface of an infected macrophage.

HIV-1 particles assembling at the surface of an infected macrophage.

BBC News reports:

An HIV-positive person who takes anti-retroviral drugs after diagnosis, rather than when their health declines, can cut the risk of spreading the virus to uninfected partners by 96%, according to a study.

The United States National Institutes of Health sampled 1,763 couples in which one partner was infected by HIV.

It was abandoned four years early as the trial was so successful. The World Health Organization said it was a “crucial development”.

The study began in 2005 at 13 sites across across Africa, Asia and the Americas.

HIV-positive patients were split into two groups. In one, individuals were immediately given a course of anti-retroviral drugs. The other group only received the treatment when their white blood cell count fell.

Both were given counselling on safe sex practices, free condoms and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Among those immediately starting anti-retroviral therapy there was only one case of transmission between partners.

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New Hampshire Bill Proposes Drug-Testing For Food Stamps

By on February 24, 2011 in News 39

258px-Seal_of_New_HampshireWHMUR9 New Hampshire reports:

CONCORD, N.H. — A proposal to drug test food stamp recipients in New Hampshire is creating controversy.

Supporters of the idea (HB 484-FN) say it’s about accountability, while others believe it amounts to profiling low-income families.

New Hampshire isn’t the first state to propose drug testing those who receive taxpayer-subsidized welfare benefits, but in every state that has tried it, there has been significant pushback.

As a full-time student, Julia Juranty said food stamps help her get by, and she said she would have no problem being drug tested in order to qualify for the help.

“If you can afford money for drugs and illegal activity, then you should be able to afford money for food,” she said.

More than 53,000 households in New Hampshire rely on the program to put food on the table. Opponents of the proposal said that drug testing one or two members of the household would punish the children if they were disqualified.

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