The role of analytical pharmacotoxicology in adressing the main functions of the National Early Warning System on NPS
Available online 14 August 2022, Version of Record 14 August 2022.
In compliance with the European Council Decision 2005/387/JHA, the Italian AntiDrug Policies Department designated the National Center for Addiction and Doping of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) to organize and manage the National Early Warning System (NEWS) on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) to promote a rapid exchange of information on NPS within Italy and between Italy and the EU. The analytical pharmacotoxicology Unit of the Center supports NEWS with screening and confirmation of NPS presence in conventional and non-conventional biological matrices from acute and fatal intoxication cases. Furthermore, yearly, pure standards of new NPS are tested and provided to Laboratories from collaborative centres and proficiency testing on NPS in oral fluid and hair are organized.