Eurofins Worldwide
Careers at Eurofins
Find here the projects we sponsor
12th February 2008
Eurofins is pleased to announce that it has entered into a partnership agreement with the Forensic Science Service® (FSS) both to widen the knowledge base of drug testing in hair and nails within the Criminal Justice System and to provide analytical testing for these services through its laboratories.
This innovative new partnership confirms Eurofins as one of the UK’s leading providers of drug testing in hair to the Criminal Justice System. Eurofins’ laboratories offer the most extensive matrix of testing for drugs that is available and with the highest levels of sensitivity. It is now possible to detect a single administration of a drug in the investigation of crimes, notably in alleged sexual assaults (colloquially referred to as Date Rapes)
Drugs, chemicals, and biological substances when ingested, smoked, inhaled or injected into the body, enter the blood stream to exert an effect. As the blood travels round the body it circulates the drugs and these can become incorporated in keratinised matrices, such as hair and nails. With their slow growth rate and the prolonged persistence of drugs and chemicals within them, both hair and nails afford an opportunity to investigate any long-term or persistent administration and an extended window of time to permit the detection of a one-off ingestion.
Analysis for drugs in hair or nails has already been used in a wide range of criminal investigations including the following:
In addition to the commonly abused drugs (Heroin, cocaine, etc), less common drugs such as GHB and pethidine can be detected in addition to a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs. Hyoscine, diphenhydramine, zolpidem, zopiclone and tramadol have all been identified in cases in the past.
The FSS has welcomed the opportunity to enter into a formal partnership to enable them to provide the most extensive range of forensic services to the UK market. Paul Hackett, Analytical Services Manager for the FSS stated “The FSS has more than 30 years experience in the analysis of controlled drugs and we are pleased to be able to share our expertise with Eurofins. Hair testing is a valuable investigative tool and by joining forces we know we can increase its usefulness to the Criminal Justice System.
” Julie Evans, Eurofins Forensic Services Director, says “This partnership is important as it will widen the knowledge base within the Criminal Justice System on the advantages of using hair testing in drug facilitated crimes and other crimes and help to improve the detection rate”.
Contacts: Julie Evans, CChem MRSC RFP MFSSocEurofins Forensic ServicesRailway HouseRailway RoadChorleyPR6 0HWEmail:julieevans@eurofins.co.ukTelephone: 07980 976299
Notes for the editor:
Eurofins Scientific is a life sciences company operating internationally to provide a comprehensive range of analytical testing services to clients from a wide range of industries including the forensic, pharmaceutical, food and environmental sectors.
With over 7,000 staff in more than 100 laboratories across 27 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 25,000 reliable analytical methods for evaluating the authenticity, origin, safety, identity, composition and purity of biological substances and products. The Group is committed to provide its customers with high quality services, accurate results in time and, if requested, expert advice by our highly qualified staff.
The Eurofins Group is one of the global market leaders in this field of applied life sciences. It intends to pursue its dynamic growth strategy and expand both, its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D, in-licensing and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.
As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international player in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the demands of regulatory authorities around the world.
The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on Euronext in the Paris (ISIN FR0000038259) and Frankfurt (WKN 910251) Stock Exchanges (Reuters EUFI.LN, Bloomberg ERF FP, ESF, EUFI.DE).
Notes to editors
- The FSS is one of the world’s leading providers of forensic science services, and is the market leader in the UK. Its principal activities include an unrivalled range of services for forensic casework, consultancy and training (including development of new forensic establishments abroad), paternity testing, and the supply of high quality evidence recovery kits and packaging (Scenesafe).
- Recent innovations include advances in specialist products and techniques such as DNA software and databasing technology, biometric ID systems, portable data extraction devices, drug-testing kits, and mobile lab facilities.
- Customers include the 43 police forces in England and Wales, public sector organisations and commercial companies, defence solicitors, and more than 60 overseas governments and law enforcement agencies.
- The Forensic Science Service® is a trading name of Forensic Science Service Ltd., which is a UK Government owned company (GovCo). The Forensic Science Service and FSS are registered trademarks of Forensic Science Service Ltd.
- For more information visit www.forensic.gov.uk
