Welcome to the Proficiency Testing Program for Synthetic Opioids
The opioid epidemic represents an ongoing public health crisis in the United States. Consequently, the detection of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and other novel synthetic opioids is of growing importance in public health, clinical and forensic bioanalytical laboratories. A key component to ensuring quality in the analytical process is the availability of certified reference materials and Proficiency Testing (PT) programs for the relevant compounds.
RTI International’s Center for Forensic Sciences (CFS) has long been a reliable source of Proficiency Testing (PT) samples for forensic, clinical and research laboratories and has served as an important part of the quality assurance programs and certification efforts of many analytical facilities. We have supplied drug-fortified urine samples to private programs and to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Laboratory Certification Program (NLCP) for over 30 years. Through a contract with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CFS now operates a PT program for laboratories engaged in testing for synthetic opioids. The program currently includes fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds, but it may be expanded to include additional novel psychoactive substances as the need arises. The program is appropriate for laboratories conducting bioanalysis for opioids in public health, clinical and forensic applications.