Advances in forensic toxicology

Over the last 15 years there have been many changes in the practice of forensic toxicology. One of the most noteworthy has been the recognition of the need for good laboratory practices in the forensic toxicology laboratory. This has resulted in the development of an accreditation program for laboratories. Increasingly, forensic toxicologists are asked to interpret results in driving under the influence of drug cases. These interpretations are also difficult because of the lack of data correlating blood (or plasma) concentrations with impairment. The development of newer immunoassays and hyphenated mass spectrometric techniques now allow the forensic toxicologist to assay a large number of drugs (both traditional and products of the biotechnology revolution) with increasing sensitivity. This article focuses on these changes and some of the challenges facing the forensic toxicologists of the 21st century.