UP Manila creates device that detects designer drugs in urine

The University of the Philippines Manila has developed a portable device that can detect selected New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) or designer drugs through urine samples.

Experts from UP Manila developed E-Tox-NPS which allows preliminary detection of designer drugs such as ketamine, synthetic cannabinoids, and synthetic cathinone “which is crucial in saving lives and timely clinical care to drug-related emergencies.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said NPS are substances of abuse, either in a pure form or a preparation, that are not controlled by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which may pose a public health threat.

UNODC added NPS have similar effects to other illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.

“The E-Tox-NPS would be very useful because there is no POCT screening kit for NPS available for use in the Philippines. NPS is also not yet included in the drugs of abuse panel in the Philippines. Local screening tests are limited to traditional illicit drugs such as amphetamine and cannabinoids,” said lead scientist Ailyn Yabes, UP Manila College of Medicine and Analytical Toxicology Consultant of the UP-PGH National Poison Management and Control Center.

Yabes said since ETox-NPS offers an initial test to check the presence of NPS, there is still a need for more specific and sensitive screening to confirm the presence of NPS in the urine. 

UP Manila also developed a device that can detect non-accidental poisoning from paracetamol, isoniazid, and salicylate (aspirin poisoning).

The E-Tox Phx POCT device aims to have timely and more effective emergency care for patients.

“Both models have undergone analytical validation and demonstrated acceptable performance characteristics in terms of limit of detection, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values according to industry standards,” said Cesar A. Perez, Jr., director of UP Manila Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News