Speakers:
Dr. Daniel Beriault, MSc, PhD, FCACB. Head of Biochemistry and Specimen Management, Unity Health Toronto. Associate Professor, University of Toronto. Investigator, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.
Dr. Beriault is the Head of the Biochemistry division and the Specimen management division at Unity Health Toronto, and an Associate Professor at University of Toronto. Along with Dr. Stefan, he is one of the founding members of Toronto’s Drug Checking service.
Dr. Cristiana Stefan, PhD, DABCC (CC,TC), FADLM. Director, Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Services. Clinical Biochemist/Toxicologist. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Dr. Cristiana Stefan is the Director of the Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, where she also practices as Clinical Biochemist/Toxicologist. In addition to her directorship and clinical responsibilities for Biochemistry and Point of Care Testing, Dr. Stefan oversees research and R&D services; participates in the education of clinical and medical fellows; is actively involved with professional associations. Along with Dr. Beriault, she is one of the founding members of Toronto’s Drug Checking service
Overview:
The role of the clinical laboratory in drug checking as public health response to reduce the harms associated with substance use and prevent overdose has not been previously explored or recognized. This presentation is based on speakers’ direct involvement with the Toronto’s Drug Checking Project, launched in October 2019 as part of an interdisciplinary partnership focusing on opioid harm reduction.
Speakers will discuss the concept of drug checking in the context of unregulated (street) drug use that expands beyond drug testing and will present the legislative requirements to operate drug-checking services. The speakers will also discuss the services goals for drug identification along with technological strategies used to detect novel psychoactive substances; as well as the project’s drug findings since implementation, focusing on fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, benzimidazole (nitazene) opioids, non-opioids and designer benzodiazepines.
Objectives:
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define drug checking and legislative requirements in Canada to operate drug checking services
- Identify the service goals of the Toronto’s Drug Checking Project for drug detection
- Discuss the main drug findings of drug checking in Toronto and impact on people who use drugs, public health and clinical practice