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This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our web site. If you've visited us before and want to know what's changed, take a look here first.
Many more chemical structures are now included, including a few metabolic pathways.
From 30 June 2005, the laboratory is UKAS accredited for Drugs of Abuse testing, including employment and pre-employment screening.
New web pages
New Equipment:
March 2005 - Applied Biosystems Q-Trap
HPLC-MS
To aid the Forensic and Clinical Toxicology sections.
New Postal Regulations for Infectious and Diagnostic Specimens / Substances
July 2005
New regulations will be introduced to cover the posting of "diagnostic specimens" or "clinical specimens" via the Royal Mail. They will now be split between known infectious specimens which, after 31st March 1999 must be packaged in a UN602 certified "triple package" container system; and diagnostic or clinical specimens.
The new packaging instructions
for the transport of clinical and diagnostic samples , are taken from ADR2005:
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr_e.html
and are detailed in http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/biologagents.pdf
in appendix 1.2 (Transport of infectious substances) as Packing Instruction
P650 on page 58.
WHO Laboratory
biosafety manual.Third edition:
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/biosafety/en/Biosafety7.pdf
Please note the new regulations: European
Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR)
- Restructured ADR applicable as from 1 January 2005:
UN committee of experts http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.htm
New Regulations - advised by the Health Protection Agency
Current Regulations (Royal Mail)
New Protocol: Spiked Drinks
New Assay:
In addition to quantitative GHB, we can now offer a quantitative test for BHB
Test Name: BHB, B-Hydroxybutyrate
Specimen Type: Blood
Storage: Store at +4C
Posting Details: FIRST CLASS
Posting Address: REGIONAL LABORATORY FOR TOXICOLOGY,CITY HOSPITAL,DUDLEY ROAD,BIRMINGHAM. B18 7QH
Clinical Use: BHB IS AN INDICATOR OF A METABOLIC DISTURBANCE DUE TO DIABETES OR EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL INGESTION
Special Details: MEASUREMENT OF BHB HAS RECENTLY BEE SHOWN TO BE AN INDICATOR OF ALCOHOLIC KETOACIDOSIS, WHEREBY CONCENTRATIONS GREATER THAN 2500 umol/L IN THE BLOOD WERE ASSOCIATED WITH CASES OF SUDDEN DEATH IN KNOWN ALCOHOLICS WITH LITTLE OR NO ETHANOL DETECTED, AND WITH NO OBVIOUS CAUSE OF DEATH.
Assay Cost: P.O.A.
Estimate of Turn Round: 5 WORKING DAYS
External QA Scheme: None available
CPA Accredited Lab/Test: YES
Key Contacts: SIMON ELLIOTT
Now in a separate file, please follow the above link.
More abstracts added - December 1998
