Alexander Thweni
Research Mentor: Jessica Anand
Mentor Department: Pharmacology, Medicine
Author(s): Alexander Thweni, Jessica P. Anand, John R. Traynor, Catherine Demery
Session: Session 5 (2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Abstract
Overdose deaths linked to fentanyl have climbed drastically over the past decade, and fentanyl contamination of other illicit drugs, like stimulants, is also on the rise. Fentanyl test strips can be used to detect fentanyl in other substances, but there are barriers to test strip use in real-life scenarios, and questions about how accurately they are used. This study looks at a new, all-in-one fentanyl detection device called DEFENT ONE, made by Defense Diagnostics Inc., and compares it to existing test strip options across three areas: how reliably it detects fentanyl, whether it gives false positives, and how easy it is for regular people to use accurately. For the analytical side of things, we tested fentanyl concentrations ranging from 0 to 1,600 ng/mL across multiple replicates for the DEFENT ONE device and two test strip competitors. False positives, which are a common issue with current fentanyl test strips, were evaluated by running common substances like methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, and oxycodone through each device and test strip, in the presence and absence of fentanyl. The usability section involved 20 undergraduates who were asked to use both the DEFENT ONE and a competitor strip in a setting meant to mimic real-world conditions, and we tracked how accurately they followed instructions and read the results. This research is ongoing, and results for the analytical portion will be presented in April. The goal is to figure out whether devices like DEFENT ONE offer practical improvements to lower the barrier for fentanyl testing. Better test tools could genuinely make a difference in helping people who use drugs make safer decisions and avoid fentanyl-related overdoses.
