NIST Report Outlines Challenges and Strategic Opportunities to Enhance Drug Detection and Data Sharing

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published the Drug Detection, Analysis, and Monitoring Workshop Report, which identifies analytical and data sharing challenges and opportunities facing a broad range of stakeholder communities combating the opioid epidemic in the United States.

This report is a culmination of feedback from a meeting NIST researchers convened with subject matter experts from 7 stakeholder communities: customs and border interdiction, public health and harm reduction, law enforcement and first responder, forensic science, emergency medicine, medical examiner and coroner, and policy.

In December 2023, the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act was signed into law by the President, directing NIST to increase research, standards development, and convening efforts related to fentanyl adulterated with xylazine and other emerging compounds of concern. 

The report systematically examines the drug analysis and data workflow for each stakeholder community – from sample recognition and collection to data dissemination and outlines opportunities to improve existing procedures and technologies. Furthermore, the report identifies current challenges with data aggregation and dissemination, highlighting the need for standardized data structures, robust data-sharing, and clear communication strategies to effectively leverage data for informed decision-making and public education. Finally, the report presents potential action items for NIST to leverage its expertise in measurement science, standards development, and community engagement to assist in mitigating the challenges posed by an ever evolving drug landscape. 

The report outlines challenges and opportunities for advancement for six components of the drug analysis chain: 

1. Sample collection – identifying what sample to collect and how to best collect it. 

   Major challenges include lack of best practices for sample collection and transportation and an absence of legal clarity for harm reduction drug checking efforts. 

   Opportunities for advancement include development of consensus best practices for collection and transportation and increased research investments in non-intrusive inspection technologies. 

2. Sample analysis – using analytical instruments to interrogate a sample.

   Major challenges include the lack of standard analytical methods, sparse method validation resources, technologies with insufficient sensitivity and specificity, and discrepancies between vendor claims and real-world instrument performance. 

   Opportunities for advancement include development of documentary standards, incentives for researchers to work more closely with end-users, and the creation of a centralized, collaborative hub for technology and method development, testing, and validation. 

3. Data interpretation – interpretation of the analytical data to identify the substances present in a sample. 

   Major challenges include a lack of physical reference standards and reference data, difficulties in differentiating structurally similar compounds, and limited tools to assist in identifying unknown compounds. 

   Opportunities for advancement include open access reference data, development of new algorithms to increase the objectivity and accuracy of data interpretation, new approaches for unknown identification, and a centralized QA/QC training program. 

4. Immediate action – using the results of a single analysis to take an action. 

   Major barriers include data that is incomplete or not timely, as well as staffing, technology, or resource constraints. 

   Opportunities for advancement include ensuring the testing reflects the current drug landscape, encouraging comprehensive reporting of chemical results, and increasing the use of machine learning for data interpretation. 

5. Data aggregation – collating results from multiple analyses, sources, or communities. 

   Major challenges include merging data with different architectures, inconsistent drug naming, data sharing and privacy concerns, and a lack documented data limitations. 

   Opportunities for advancement include development of a consensus-based data architecture and drug nomenclature, creation of best practices for desensitizing and sharing data, and advancing the use of AI and machine learning in data interrogation. 

6. Data dissemination – conveying aggregated data to one or more communities or the public. 

   Major challenges include conveying statistical relevance and limitations of data, ensuring information is presented in an equitable and accessible format, ensuring data is not misused in a harmful manner, and preventing alert fatigue.

   Opportunities for advancement include development of alert templates, data use and data sharing templates, and creating a documented set of rules to trigger public-facing alerts.

Based on the discussions during the workshop, five areas were identified where NIST could assist the represented communities to address analytical and data challenges and meet the requirements outlined in the TRANQ Research Act. These include:

• advancing analytical measurements,
• creating next-generation data analysis tools, 
• development of standards (physical, reference, and documentary), 
• increased education and training, and
• continued convening of personnel from all stakeholder communities involved in addressing the drug overdose epidemic.

NIST is planning on hosting two follow-up workshops in 2025 focused on needs and gaps in best practices for the safe handling of drug evidence and strategies for drug data harmonization for enhanced interoperability. 

Read the Report Here