Drug abuse is defined as the deliberate consumption of illegal drugs or prescribed psychoactive involvement, or non-therapeutic performance enhancer drug for non-medicinal effects. The strong addiction may cause an irresistible, uncontrollable, and compulsive desire for its intake.
Usually, even for legal drug testing. Other alternatives including oral fluids and hair are also garnering popularity. The initial screening is conducted on urine specimens, in both medical and legal drug testing with the help of immunoassays.
Samples of blood and nail can also be taken for testing. The samples of urine contain secreted metabolites that can be used for the detection of illicit drugs. Usually, drug testing is performed at hospitals, laboratories, workplaces, and at home.
The usage of illicit drugs is rising, which is projected to propel the demand for drug abuse testing in the coming years.
Immunoassays might give wrong results, due to cross-reactivity with structurally related compounds. It is required to use specific immunoassays for detecting methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and propoxyphene.
Testing is usually performed for detecting the use of the illicit drug or monitor medication compliance. The rising number of opioid dependency and pain management clinics has resulted in growing demands for urine drug testing.
The common method for urine drug abuse testing involves a two-step process, which involves immunoassay screening followed by mass spectrometry confirmation.
The major companies operating in the drug abuse testing industry are Siemens AG, Waters Corporation, Roche Holding AG, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Abbott Laboratories, Psychemedics Corporation, and Randox Laboratories Ltd.
Therefore, the rising cases of drug abuse led by increasing consumption of the illegal drug, or their overindulgence boost the demand for drug abuse testing.
