Note:
This awardee has received supplemental funding. This award detail page includes information about both the original award and supplemental awards.
Award Information
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimates that more than 100,000 individuals are 12 dying of drug overdose deaths in 12-month periods based on medical examiner and coroner death certificate data. The understanding and reporting of these vital death statistics are rooted in accurate medicolegal death investigations, comprehensive forensic toxicology testing, and precise reporting, the latter of which is linked to drug nomenclature and taxonomy (i.e., drug names and classifications, respectively). Public health and safety officials agree that there is a need in the forensic science community for more systematic and streamlined naming conventions applied to various types of drugs, including recreational or illicit drugs (e.g., fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine), therapeutic drugs, and emerging drugs (e.g., novel psychoactive substances). Prior efforts by individuals and working groups have laid frameworks for how drugs are named, classified, and communicated; however, a central repository and universal resources remain lacking. This research is aimed at developing, curating, and expanding a primary source of up-to-date information regarding drug nomenclature and taxonomy with the ultimate goal of standardizing drug names and classifications with respect to forensic sciences data exchange and stakeholder practices. Several tools exist to warehouse information related to drugs, including name, chemical characteristics (e.g., structure, formula, molecular features), pharmacological aspects, scientific literature, and more. Inxight Drugs [https://drugs.ncats.io/] – a portal housed at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and curated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – is an example of one of these existing tools with groundwork already well in motion. Inxight Drugs currently lists U.S. approved drugs, markets drugs, investigational drugs, and other substances, but this system lacks thorough data and inclusion of drugs involved in forensic investigations (especially emerging drugs). Our researchers will utilize unique ingredient identifiers (UNIIs) to track drugs more accurately and compile information surrounding specific drugs, including preferred and other names, synonyms, colloquial terms, mappings, classifications by chemical properties and pharmacological effects, literature patents, scientific articles, and more, for consolidation and population of the user interface portal. This process will allow for classification and subclassification of drugs, both known and to-be-discovered, which will lead to the development of more standardized and understood processes for drug nomenclature and taxonomy. Additional resources and products will be developed to aid forensic scientists, public health officials, and other stakeholders. Successful completion of this research will lead to more proper data exchanges and communication, and a more complete and common drug language. NCA/NCF
Grant-Funded Publications
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Evaluating Cross-reactivity of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in Human Whole Blood by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Journal: Journal of Analytical ToxicologyDate Published: March 2024
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N,N-Dimethylpentylone (dipentylone)—A new synthetic cathinone identified in a postmortem forensic toxicology case series
Journal: Journal of Analytical ToxicologyDate Published: June 2023
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Detection in seized samples, analytical characterization, and in vitro metabolism of the newly emerged 5-bromo-indazole-3-carboxamide synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists
Journal: Drug Testing and AnalysisDate Published: 2023
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Detection, chemical analysis, and pharmacological characterization of dipyanone and other new synthetic opioids related to prescription drugs
Journal: Analytical and Bioanalytical ChemistryDate Published: 2023
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In vitro cannabinoid receptor activity, metabolism, and detection in seized samples of CH-PIATA, a new indole-3-acetamide synthetic cannabinoid
Journal: Drug Testing and AnalysisDate Published: 2023
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New Potent Synthetic Opioid—N-Desethyl Isotonitazene—Proliferating Among Recreational Drug Supply in USA
Date Published: 2023
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NPS Discovery Q2 2023 Trend Reports
Date Published: 2023
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Plasma pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of the 2-benzylbenzimidazole synthetic opioid, isotonitazene, in male rats
Journal: PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGYDate Published: 2023
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Positivity of New Synthetic Cannabinoid 4F-MDMB-BICA Increasing in U.S. as Prevalence of 5F-MDMB-PICA Wanes
Date Published: 2023
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Proliferation of Novel Synthetic Opioids in Postmortem Investigations After Core-Structure Scheduling for Fentanyl-Related Substances
Journal: American Journal of Forensic Medicine and PathologyDate Published: December 2022
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A Forward-Thinking Approach to Addressing the New Synthetic Opioid 2-Benzylbenzimidazole Nitazene Analogs by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (LC-QQQ-MS)
Journal: Journal of Analytical ToxicologyDate Published: April 2022
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Pharmacological Evaluation and Forensic Case Series of N-pyrrolidino Etonitazene (etonitazepyne), a Newly Emerging 2-benzylbenzimidazole 'Nitazene' Synthetic Opioid
Journal: Archives of ToxicologyDate Published: April 2022
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Toxicological and Pharmacological Characterization of Novel Cinnamylpiperazine Synthetic Opioids in Humans and in Vitro Including 2-methyl AP-237 and AP-238
Journal: Archives of ToxicologyDate Published: March 2022
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Bromazolam Prevalence Surging Across the United States Driven In Part by Increasing Detections Alongside Fentanyl
Date Published: 2022
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N,N-Dimethylpentylone (NPS Stimulant)
Date Published: 2022
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N-Pyrrolidino Etonitazene (NPS Opioid)
Date Published: 2022
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NPS Discovery: 2022 Year in Review
Date Published: 2022
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Synthetic Stimulant Market Rapidly Changing as N,N-Dimethylpentylone Replaces Eutylone in Drug Supply Typically Sold as “Ecstasy” or “Molly”
Date Published: 2022
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Etodesnitazene — New Synthetic Opioid Identified During Forensic Death Investigations in the United States and Canada
Date Published: 2021
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Metonitazene (NPS Opioid)
Date Published: 2021
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Metonitazene Begins Proliferation as Newest Synthetic Opioid Among Latest Cycle of Non-Fentanyl Related Drugs
Date Published: 2021
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Metonitazene in the United States-Forensic toxicology assessment of a potent new synthetic opioid using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
Journal: Drug Testing and AnalysisDate Published: 2021
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New High Potency Synthetic Opioid N-Pyrrolidino Etonitazene (Etonitazepyne) Linked to Overdoses Across United States
Date Published: 2021
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New Synthetic Opioid Protonitazene Increasing in Prevalence as “Nitazenes” Gain Traction Across the United States and Canada
Date Published: 2021
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New Systematic Naming for Synthetic Cannabinoid “MDA-19” and Its Related Analogues: BZO-HEXOXIZID, 5F-BZO-POXIZID, and BZO-POXIZID
Date Published: 2021
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NPS Discovery: 2021 Year in Review
Date Published: 2021