Testing the test strips: laboratory performance of fentanyl test strips

Original research
by
Halifax, John C. et al

Release Date

2024

Geography

USA

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

We evaluated the efficacy of multiple manufacturing lots of a fentanyl test strip (FTS) to detect fentanyl and fentanyl analogs and assessed cross-reactivity with possible interferences.

Findings/Key points

All five manufacturing lots cross-reacted with fentanyl and eleven fentanyl analogs. Diphenhydramine, lidocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine were found to cause false positives with the strips. There was notable lot-to-lot variability in the sensitivity of the strips for fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and known interferences.

Design/methods

Drug standards were dissolved in water in a laboratory setting and serially diluted. Drug dilutions were tested using five different manufacturing lots of BTNX Rapid Response (20 ng/mL cutoff) lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay strips to assess lot-to-lot variability for FTS sensitivity and cross-reactivity for the analytes of interest.

Keywords

Drug checking