Expanded Test Menu - New Synthetic Opioids

Assurance Laboratories has worked with its partner organizations to identify high prevalence synthetic opioids in our local community. The opioid crisis has continued to evolve, especially during covid-19, requiring physicians and laboratories to be more aware of the ever changing landscape.

Over the past several years, there has been an increasing trend of death caused from synthetic opioids. Synthetic opioid-involved death rates increased by over 15% from 2018 to 2019 and accounted for nearly 73% of all opioid-involved deaths in 2019. In 2020 through April of 2021, more than 100,000 deaths from overdose occurred which was the highest in U.S. history. Of the 100,000, more than 60% of the deaths involved synthetic opioids.

Assurance Laboratories has researched commonly seen synthetic opioids in our local communities and continues to pursue the most impactful compounds to your patient care. According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office, 79% of overdose cases in Milwaukee involved a form of fentanyl, and further 78% of heroin that was tested included a version of fentanyl.

As many as 4 out of 10 illicit substances that contain fentanyl, have a lethal dose of fentanyl in them. In recent years, illicit manufacturing of fentanyl has occurred, making chemically similar substances more readily available on the street. These compounds are known as analogs and can range in potency.

Among the latest non-fentanyl opioids to be detected, are the drugs referred to as “nitazenes”. Nitazenes date back to early day pharmaceutical development of alternatives to morphine. However, the risk of taking these medications was too high and they were found to be not suitable for use. With increased regulations on fentanyl and other schedule 1 drugs, a high demand of illicitly used opioids has triggered the development of “nitazenes” once again.

In Wisconsin and Illinois, Istonitazene alone is believed to have contributed to more than 40 deaths in Cook county and Milwaukee county in the first 7 months of 2020.

As a trusted partner, Assurance Laboratories helps you stay in the KNOW. The testing we provide will always remain cutting edge and focused on new and emerging compounds so that you don’t have to worry.