Randox biochip detects up to 97 drug metabolites simultaneously

4 April 2011

Northern Irish company Randox Laboratories has developed Biochip Array Technology that allows clinicians to detect up to 97 drug metabolites from one sample simultaneously.

The technology has already been used in drug screening programmes around the globe, including the UK, Italy and Vietnam.

The ability to carry out simultaneous tests on a biochip has lead to significant time and labour savings in WDT, whereas traditionally only one drug could be detected at a time.

The Randox Biochip portfolio incorporates a range of illicit and prescription drugs which can be mis-used, putting employees at risk while they are at work. High-risk industries which commonly employ WDT include construction, manufacturing, transport, education and security.

Last year, The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) published a report indicating that drug abuse worldwide was at its highest level in nearly a decade. Findings revealed that the most commonly abused drug is Marijuana; however non-medical use of prescription drugs is also increasing.

In 2010, Randox Global Toxicology Manager Richard Bell revealed that the company had experienced significant growth in the demand for their range of workplace drug testing products: “Workplace drug testing is becoming a necessity prior to employment, both for the safety of employees and members of the public who they may come in contact with. We cannot ignore the fact that drug mis-use is on the rise. Randox are continuously developing our drug screening test menu to accommodate companies carrying out a workplace drug testing program.”