Tag: Opiates

Day 4, Opiates, Amphetamines, Cocaine, and more.

Last day at Integrated Pain Solutions! Today was all about analysis of our sample tests from yesterday. Since we did two test runs yesterday and inputted both into the LCMS for readings, we analyzed both.

The first one was four samples. These were real patient samples, but the names were removed. First, we went through the Immunoassay test results from yesterday afternoon’s tests and we marked which positive results were consistent with the drugs that the patient was prescribed and which were inconsistent with what the patient was prescribed. After marking all of these, we looked at the results from the comprehensive confirmation test. This test is much more accurate than the Immunoassay, so it helped us refine the results and eliminate false positives. Based on this, we were able to say with some certainty what drugs the patient was taking and whether or not they were following their prescriptions.

Then, we went over the lab protocol for unpacking new supplies. In this case, we watched the QC liquids be unpacked and then labeled correctly.

Later, we ate lunch. Panera!

Then, we repeated a similar analysis on another run that we had ourselves prepped the day before. We did a process similar to the one described above, but we focused more on the comprehensive confirmation test. This test allowed us to again see if certain patients were taking their prescribed drugs and nothing else. Then afterward we compared the results that we analyzed and the conclusions we drew to the Immunoassay test results.

In the end, we said bye to all of the people who helped us and guided us through the past four days! It was an amazing experience.

PS, So this is something I probably shouldn’t be telling you, but I am. Law enforcement has no significantly appreciable ability to tell the difference between a hemp product and a marijuana product. If the police find marijuana in an individuals car, and it is labeled as hemp, or the individual identifies it as hemp, the police do not have probable cause to arrest that individual. They can, however, drug test that individual and arrest him or her if the drug test comes up positive for THC. However, if the drug test is clean, the police have no ability to tell the difference between hemp and marijuana.

Day 3, Methanol Galore

Day 3 at Integrated Pain Solutions! Today was all about applying what we had learned on Tuesday and Wednesday. First, we met up with Adam and started to prep samples onto plates. We put the calibrators onto the plates and then we put the samples onto the plates as well. We used many different tools for this. First, we used normal pipettes and pipette tips of different volumes. We also used a multi-tipped pipet for the enzyme buffer. This pipet was really cool. We got very good at using the pipettes in a manner that didn’t compromise the integrity of the samples.

Next, we let the samples incubate. This incubation was a very important step to allow the required reactions to go to completing inside the urine samples. While the plate with the samples was incubating, we analyzed the results from the initial Indiko scan. The Indiko scan is what I mentioned yesterday (the basic drug screening process). Afterward, we added the prepared enzyme buffer and centrifuged it to precipitate any unwanted particles (things that would ruin the LCMS reading). After running the centerfuge at 4000 rpm for 15 minutes, we took the samples and calibrators from the plate and put them on a different plate. Then, these were put into the LCMS and run for a comprehensive drug test. The mass spec takes some time to run, so while that was happening, we got some Chick-Fil-A.

 

Later, we also went over the general lab protocol that a toxicology lab would have to follow. All fridge and freezer temperatures need to be documented every day. The pressure of the nitrogen and argon pumps, as well as the percent humidities, need to be documented every day as well.

Lastly, at the end of the day, we did the same lab experience as above with real patient samples instead of proficiency samples (which are samples sent to labs to test whether the lab can accurately determine the concentrations of drugs in a urine sample). Working with real samples was fun. Tomorrow, we will look at the data from our experiments and use that to figure out what drugs the samples contained.

 

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