Reliable Reagents for Drugs of Abuse Testing

Explore our comprehensive portfolio of antibodies, antigens and biospecimens designed to support accurate and efficient testing for drugs of abuse across clinical, forensic and workplace settings.

Antibodies	Antigens	Biospecimens

Why drugs of abuse testing matters
Medix Biochemica’s portfolio
Biospecimens for validation
Technical expertise
Insights and thought leadership
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Drugs of Abuse Testing
Medix Biochemica's expertise

Why drugs of abuse testing matters

Drug abuse is defined as the "use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts.”¹ Drugs of abuse is a broad term used for substances taken for reasons outside of their intended uses.² Misusing or abusing drugs can cause problems with physical health, emotional and social wellbeing and employment.¹

Accurate testing for drugs of abuse is critical for public safety, workplace compliance and clinical diagnostics. Applications of drug testing in these contexts include:³

Employment surveillance: Drugs of abuse testing may be done before hiring an applicant, following an incident or accident in the workplace, or when drug abuse is suspected based on signs and symptoms observed in an employee.
Detox monitoring: This form of testing is used for the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder. The results may be used to determine treatment adherence, monitor abstinence and/or for early detection of relapse.
Medical diagnostics: Patients may be tested for drug use to help determine the cause of their symptoms, or in emergency situations when healthcare professionals suspect a potential drug overdose or poisoning.
Legal testing: These tests are used to collect potential forensic evidence of a crime, to determine whether someone is under the influence of alcohol or other substances while driving, or when investigating cases of child abuse or endangerment.
Athletic testing: Most professional athletes are regularly screened for performance-enhancing drugs to ensure compliance with their sport’s code of conduct.
Monitoring for prescription drug misuse: If a patient is taking a prescription drug with high addiction potential (e.g. opioids for pain management), the healthcare professional may request a drug test to monitor the amount of the drug in the patient’s system.

Today, two key factors in the world of narcotics are reshaping how drug tests are conducted:^4,5

The growing legalization of marijuana (cannabis), and
The rise in availability of synthetic opioids.

Recreational marijuana use is now legal in many parts of the US (laws vary by state), Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, Malta, Germany, Luxembourg, Georgia, South Africa, Thailand and the Australian Capital Territories.⁶ Marijuana use has subsequently increased significantly in the general workforce.⁴

Marijuana use in Americans aged 12 or older increased by 16.2% from 2021 to 2023. And, in 2023, 61.8 million Americans aged 12 or older (21.8% of the population) used marijuana at least once over a 12-month period. Notably, traffic fatalities involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana increased by 138% from 2013 to 2020.⁷

Meanwhile, overdose due to illicit synthetic opioids (e.g. fentanyl and fentanyl analogs) continues to rise, particularly in the US.⁵ In 2025, the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) reports that 8.9 million (or 3.4%) of Americans aged 12 and older misuse opioids at least once over a 12-month period.⁷

Stimulant-related overdose is also rising, due to the use of methamphetamine and cocaine.⁵ Nearly one in five drug overdose deaths in 2023 were cocaine-related.⁷ Some people use stimulants together with opioids (polysubstance use), which is also increasing the frequency of stimulant-related overdoses.⁵

The rise of HIV and hepatitis C infections is a further consequence of injection drug use.⁵ In 2022, 4% of new US HIV cases among men and 3% of those among women (1,300 and 1,000 people respectively) were attributed to injection drugs.⁷

While it is true that there are medications available to treat opioid use disorder, such as methadone and buprenorphine, there are still significant associated barriers. These include unequal access to medication and biases against medication treatment. Experts are calling for a comprehensive public health approach to address the opioid overdose crisis, including increased spending on treatment and harm reduction, stigma reduction and criminal justice policy reform.⁵

Did You Know?⁷

51.2% of people in the US aged 12 and older have used illicit drugs at least once.
Drug overdoses have killed 1.15 million people in the US alone since 1999.
The cost of drug abuse in the US is nearly $820 billion annually, taking into account crime, healthcare needs, lost productivity and other impacts on society.

In light of these statistics, drugs of abuse testing plays a critical role in our society today. But some common drug testing methods (e.g. urine and blood testing) are invasive and uncomfortable. Fortunately, new non-invasive drug testing is transforming the process, making it faster and easier for the end user by reducing privacy issues and discomfort.⁸

These less invasive drug screening methods include saliva testing, fingerprint testing, sweat sensors and breath analysis.⁸

More employers and healthcare providers are adopting these modern assays and Medix Biochemica is providing the critical antibodies, antigens and reference samples to build them.⁸

This table summarizes the advantages and benefits of testing for drugs of abuse using different biological samples.^8-10

Biological Sample & Drug Detection Window	Key Advantages	Key Limitations	Primary Use
Urine 2-4 days	Inexpensive Mature technique Detects both recent & past use Drug & metabolites are highly concentrated & easy to detect using lab-based or onsite testing devices Established cutoffs	Detects only recent use Invasive “witnessed” collection procedures required Sample is susceptible to tampering Drug concentration may be influenced by fluid intake Collection process can be time-consuming Provides no interpretive data (no dose/concentration relationship)	Monitoring recent drug use
Breath 12-24 hours	Mature technique Easy to use Non-invasive	Short detection window	Roadside checks confirming observed intoxication or impairment (alcohol) Breath tests for drugs beyond alcohol are also in development
Saliva 12-24 hours	Easy to use Non-invasive Good correlation with blood levels for some substances	Short detection window Oral cavity is easily contaminated Collection can be time-consuming Cutoffs not well established	Linking positive drug test to behavioral impairment & intoxication
Sweat 1-4 weeks	Can monitor 24/7 for extended periods Relatively tamper-proof Non-invasive Increased deterrent to drug use	Cannot detect prior drug exposure Limited collection devices & testing labs Potential risk of contamination Patch can be removed at any time	Detecting recent & less recent drug use
Blood 12-24 hours	Established method Sample tampering eliminated Results both qualitative & quantitative may provide behavior/ performance data in circumstances such as driving while impaired (DWI)	Invasive Expensive Detects only current intoxication Sample volume is small Potential for false negative results	Detecting drug effects in medical emergencies
Hair 4-6 months	Extended detection window Non-invasive Measures long-term drug use Reduced sample tampering No biohazard issues No poppy seed interference	Expensive Time-consuming Cannot detect recent drug use Limited testing facilities Concerns about bias towards ethnic hair types or hair colour May not detect single-use event Date of drug use cannot be assessed	Confirming drug use in past 4–6 months Prevalence studies

Did You Know?

According to the 2024 Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index (DTI) report:¹¹

Positive test results for marijuana in the general US workforce increased by nearly 5% between 2022 and 2023.
Cocaine positivity increased by 9.1%.
Amphetamine positivity remained flat.
6-AM (heroin metabolite) positivity decreased by 16.7%.Opiate (codeine/morphine) positivity decreased by 12.5%.
Opiates (hydrocodone/hydromorphone) decreased by 9.4%.
Oxycodone (oxycodone/oxymorphone) decreased by 3.6%.

The accommodation and food services industry has seen the highest increase in overall drug positivity rates, growing from 5.1% in 2019 to 7.9% in 2023.

Medix Biochemica’s portfolio

In vitro diagnostic (IVD) testing for drugs of abuse is by far the most efficient way to get accurate results. The accuracy of a drug test depends on the use of high-quality drugs of abuse reagents that have been validated for the application and biomaterial in question.¹²

Medix Biochemica provides a wide selection of high-quality antigens and antibodies for drugs of abuse testing. Our catalog covers over 50 substances.²

Substance	Definition and Details
6-Monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM)	A unique metabolite of heroin Presence of 6-MAM is definitive evidence of recent heroin use
Amphetamine	A central nervous system stimulant drug Prescribed to treat ADHD & narcolepsy
Benzodiazepines	A group of depressant drugs Used to treat anxiety, insomnia & muscle spasms
Benzoylecgonine (BE)	The major metabolite of cocaine A biomarker for cocaine use
Buprenorphine (BUP)	A synthetic opioid partial agonist Used to treat opioid use disorder
Cannabinoids/ Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)	The major psychoactive component of cannabis
Carisoprodol	A muscle relaxant Used to treat skeletal muscle pain & injury
Clonazepam	A benzodiazepine Used to treat panic & seizure disorders
Cotinine	A major metabolite of nicotine A biomarker for tobacco use
Ethyl glucuronide (EtG)	A metabolite of ethanol A biomarker for alcohol consumption
Fentanyl	A synthetic opioid more potent than morphine Used to treat severe pain
Hydrocodone	A semi-synthetic opioid Often prescribed for pain management
K2	A synthetic cannabinoid May cause seizures, hallucinations & anxiety
Ketamine	A dissociative drug & anesthetic Hallucinogenic properties
Kratom (mitragynine)	A plant preparation from leaves of a Southeast Asian tree May have opioid & stimulant effects
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)	A semi-synthetic hallucinogenic drug
MDMA	A synthetic drug with stimulant & hallucinogenic effects No accepted medical use
MDPV	A synthetic drug with stimulant & hallucinogenic effects No accepted medical use May be found in ‘bath salts’
Methadone	A synthetic opioid agonist Used to treat opioid use disorder
Methamphetamine	A stimulant synthetic drug Highly addictive
Methaqualone	A synthetic hypnotic sedative drug
Methcathinone	A synthetic drug structurally similar to methamphetamine
Methylone	A synthetic analog of MDMA Stimulant effects No known medical use May be found in ‘bath salts’
Methylphenidate	A central nervous system stimulant drug Used to treat ADHD & narcolepsy
Morphine	A non-synthetic opioid drug Derived from opium Used to treat pain
Oxycodone	A semi-synthetic opioid drug Widely available & often used to treat pain
Phencyclidine (PCP)	A dissociative drug & anesthetic May have hallucinogenic properties
Pinaca	A synthetic cannabinoid
Propoxyphene (PPX)	An opioid Used to treat pain
Tramadol	A synthetic opioid drug Used to control pain
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)	A class of medications used to treat depression & other mood disorders
UR-144	A synthetic cannabinoid
Zolpidem	A non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug Used to treat insomnia
Zopiclone	A non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug Used to treat insomnia

Medix Biochemica’s expansive portfolio gives assay developers the dual advantage of reliability and readiness. With coverage of more than 50 established analytes, we support accurate testing for today’s most commonly monitored substances, while equipping labs to quickly respond to the next wave of emerging threats such as nitazenes, xylazine, kratom and synthetic cannabinoids.

By combining antibodies, antigen conjugates and biospecimens with in-house custom conjugation and scalable manufacturing, we ensure that our partners can confidently address both current market needs and unpredictable future challenges.

Testing formats supported include:²

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),
Lateral flow (LF),
Fluorescence immunoassay (FIA),
Cloned enzyme donor immunoassay (CEDIA), and
Enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT).

Our quality IVD reagents include antibody-antigen matched pairs and antigen conjugates (such as BSA, HRP and BTG).²

Biospecimens for validation

Using a multitude of techniques in collection, preservation and storage, Medix Biochemica provides high-quality biological samples and specimens.

Our biospecimen range includes saliva and urine samples for drug testing, as well as hair samples (THC-positive and negative) for use in a standard hair drug test.¹³

Did You Know?

Compared to more commonly collected biospecimens (like urine, blood and saliva), hair is unique in that it allows for the detection of many drugs of abuse and metabolites for months after exposure. Because of its longer detection window, hair is a useful way to detect past-year substance use.

Hair collection may also be more feasible than blood or urine collection:

It doesn’t require extensive training, protective equipment or sanitary conditions.
Collection is painless and non-invasive.
Storage and shipping is easier.
Collection can be done quickly in any type of environment.

However, there are some limitations to detection when using a standard hair drug test. While hair can help detect exposure to substances within a wide window of time, it typically cannot detect very recent use. Using hair testing, use of psychoactive substances is typically not detectable within the first one to two weeks after exposure.¹⁴

Technical expertise

Medix Biochemica’s global team offers deep technical support and IVD expertise. We have a proven track record in developing high-quality IVD reagents for use in complex testing environments.¹²

Read our Drugs of Abuse Flyer

Insights and thought leadership

Medix Biochemica offers in-depth, insightful articles about the latest topics affecting the IVD industry.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Drugs of Abuse Testing

What substances are considered “emerging threats” in drugs of abuse testing?

Emerging substances include:
- Novel synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, fentanyl analogs and U-47700.
- Synthetic cannabinoids (“Spice,” “K2”).
- Designer stimulants like MDPV or mephedrone.
- Plant-derived psychoactives like kratom.
- Dissociatives such as ketamine and PCP analogs.

These are rapidly evolving and often appear unpredictably in the market.
Which established analytes are most commonly tested today?

Common analytes include:
- Cocaine and metabolites (e.g. benzoylecgonine)
- THC /Cannabinoids
- Opiates (morphine, codeine, 6-MAM)
- Amphetamines (methamphetamine, amphetamine)
- Benzodiazepines (oxazepam, diazepam, alprazolam)
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA)
- Methadone
- Ethanol (EtG biomarker)
- Nicotine (cotinine metabolite)
What testing methods are used for detecting drugs of abuse?

Testing can be performed using:
- Urine testing (standard, widely used).
- Saliva/oral fluid testing (increasing adoption for workplace and roadside testing).
- Blood testing (clinical or forensic confirmatory purposes).
- Hair testing (long-term exposure monitoring).
- Breath testing (traditional for ethanol, emerging for cannabis and other analytes).
Why is saliva/oral fluid testing becoming more important?

Saliva testing provides a less invasive collection method, supports rapid on-site screening, and offers a shorter detection window that can indicate recent drug use. This makes it valuable for workplace, roadside and law enforcement applications.
How does Medix Biochemica support assay development for DOA testing?

We provide antibodies, antigen conjugates and biospecimens with customizable options to ensure specificity and reproducibility. Our in-house conjugation capabilities allow controlled ratios, while our industrial-scale manufacturing ensures a reliable global supply.
What role do biospecimens play in DOA testing?

Biospecimens, including drug-free urine base matrices, saliva, and pooled samples, serve as essential controls and validation tools in assay development. They allow developers to test real-world performance across multiple sample types.
What external factors are driving the need for expanded analyte coverage?

- The opioid crisis and rise of fentanyl contamination.
- Global recreational drug trends introducing novel psychoactives.
- Workplace and roadside testing programs requiring rapid detection methods.
- Sports and anti-doping initiatives.
- Stricter regulatory standards (e.g., FDA, EU-IVDR) that demand reliable, high-quality materials.

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Medix Biochemica's expertise

Medix Biochemica offers optimized, industrial-scale manufacturing procedures, certified batch-to-batch consistency and expert customer service. This makes us an ideal raw material supply partner for assay and test-kit manufacturers and other important customers in the IVD industry.²

Contact our team for custom reagent solutions or technical support: