Addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic is not only a top priority for public health, it will also help build stronger communities and allow those with substance abuse to lead healthier, more productive lives.
According to the United Nations, the global number of illicit drug users is likely to grow 25% by 2050, mostly occurring in rapidly rising urban populations of developing countries.1
Prescription drugs are legally prescribed to patients to treat medical disorders and conditions, making them widely available. When these drugs are taken in a way that is different from what was prescribed, that is where the abuse occurs.
1 in 11 people in the United States regularly use illicit drugs.2
2.5 million drug-related emergency department visits annually.3
$400 billion direct and indirect healthcare costs associated with addiction.4
Monitoring is an essential component of all treatment strategies, helping healthcare professionals assess outcomes, identify relapses, and adjust therapies as needed.
Early detection of abuse is critical to ensure best outcomes and help reduce the harmful effects on society. That’s why we help to develop robust and compliant drug-testing programs that provide actionable information for better treatment decisions, enhance patient safety, and improve patient outcomes.5
Prescription drug abuse/misuse impacts everyone and can affect people of any age, both men and women, and in any socioeconomic group.
Testing is an essential part in reducing prescription drug abuse and rehabilitation of those currently using drugs.
Monitoring provides an objective means of determining treatment adherence and potential drug abuse or misuse.
- Manage prescription drug use
- Prescribed drug(s) of interest
- Illicit drugs, alcohol and other non-prescribed prescription drugs
- Analyze adherence to therapeutic plan
- Help diagnose substance misuse, abuse, and addiction
- Identify patients who may be diverting medications
- Meet expectations of medical boards and regulatory agencies
Our state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS instrumentation and automated processes provide you fast, accurate, and quantitative results.
We understand the unique challenges facing healthcare professionals and are committed to helping you develop a robust and compliant drug-testing program. Our testing solutions can be applied across a variety of platforms and cover a broad array of drugs and metabolites.
With 8 accredited laboratories and over 3,000 connected collection sites, we provide specialized products and services to employers looking to implement or enhance their employee health, wellness and drug testing programs. Utilizing an extensive network of laboratories and collection sites, our solutions help employers maintain a healthy, drug-free workplace.
We offer one of the largest single site toxicology laboratories specializing in testing for government agencies. Alere provides comprehensive, cost effective drug testing options that include urine and oral fluid testing for common drugs of abuse including prescription drugs, alcohol (EtG/EtS), synthetic cannabinoids, "bath salts", and more.
The Emergency Department (ED) never lacks for patients, so a rapid diagnosis is critical. Rapidly identifying or ruling out the impact of drug use with point-of-care rapid drug screening can help reduce a patient length of stay and improve patient outcomes.
Discover more about Alere's toxicology solutions.
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