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SAC accepts subcommittee validation approvals; DFS reports seized-drug trends and mobile-instrument reviews
Summary
The Scientific Advisory Committee accepted controlled-substances and toxicology subcommittee reports that approved multiple validation plans; DFS also reported seized-drug trends for 2024 and is reviewing mobile presumptive-instrument evaluations for law-enforcement field use.
The Scientific Advisory Committee accepted reports from its Controlled Substances and Toxicology subcommittees approving multiple method-validation plans and program updates, and DFS presenters summarized seized-drug trends for 2024 and a request to evaluate an additional presumptive mobile instrument.
Rich Myers presented the Controlled Substances Subcommittee report, which reviewed and approved a validation titled "Quantitative analysis of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine using a multipoint calibration curve," according to the subcommittee summary. The committee then voted to accept the subcommittee’s report.
Dr. Mark Labeaux presented the Toxicology Subcommittee report. He said the subcommittee approved four proposed validations: adding novel psychoactive substances to an amphetamine/designer stimulant LC-MS/MS method; volatiles quantitation and confirmation using headspace dual-column GC-FID; use of a circulating bath for certain amphetamine-stimulant quantitation with an increased sample set for bias/precision matrices; and adding seven novel benzodiazepines to an existing method. The committee accepted the toxicology subcommittee report.
Robin Weimer and chemical program staff described seized-drug statistics for 2024: methamphetamine remained the top substance identified, cocaine was second, and heroin showed a 22% increase after several years of decline. DFS said it saw decreases in overall submissions and in illicit synthetic-opioid and prescription-opioid identifications.
Controlled-substances staff told the committee they recommended seven compounds for expedited scheduling to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy; the Board considered those recommendations at its September 30 meeting and final scheduling votes were pending. DFS also noted an internal effort to reduce paper by creating an electronic general drug worksheet and an optional "pre-check macro" to identify common report deficiencies before technical review.
Robin Weimer said DFS had previously approved two presumptive mobile instruments for field drug-detection testimony and is reviewing a request to approve a third model under the statutory mobile-instrument evaluation process.
The committee voted to accept both subcommittee reports during the meeting.
