DC Department of Forensic Sciences, 401 E St. SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
Forensic Sci Int. 2022 Oct;339:111414. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111414. Epub 2022 Aug 1.
For the first time in Washington, D.C., an in-depth analysis of counterfeit pills has been performed as part of a larger initiative to understand the city's illicit drug supply. Over a 56-month period, 567 pills that were physically identified as a pharmaceutical were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Out of the 567 pills submitted to our laboratory, 119 were confirmed to be counterfeit. Beginning in 2018, an increase in counterfeit pills was observed in suspected pharmaceutical submissions. By 2021, 62.5% of all pill exhibits were determined to be counterfeit. Most of the counterfeit pills submitted during this time frame had a '30M' imprint with blue coloring, consistent with the physical identification of a 30 mg Oxycodone tablet. Fentanyl was the number one identified psychoactive substance detected in counterfeit pills (75.4%), however, other opioids, precursors, and a novel benzodiazepine were also identified. This preliminary research hopes to illustrate counterfeit pill trends in Washington, D.C. and highlight the importance of analyzing pharmaceuticals in addition to suspected illicit substances. This surveillance is ongoing and collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions is anticipated in the future.
这是首次在华盛顿特区对假冒药丸进行深入分析,这是了解该市非法毒品供应的更大计划的一部分。在 56 个月的时间里,使用气相色谱质谱法 (GC-MS) 和气相色谱火焰离子化检测 (GC-FID) 对 567 个被确认为药物的药丸进行了分析。在提交给我们实验室的 567 粒药丸中,有 119 粒被确认为假冒伪劣产品。从 2018 年开始,在疑似药物提交中观察到假冒药丸的数量增加。到 2021 年,确定所有药丸展品中有 62.5%是假冒伪劣产品。在此期间提交的大多数假冒药丸都带有“30M”印记和蓝色着色,与 30 毫克羟考酮片剂的物理鉴定一致。芬太尼是在假冒药丸中检测到的头号精神活性物质(75.4%),但也检测到其他阿片类药物、前体和一种新型苯并二氮䓬类药物。这项初步研究旨在说明华盛顿特区假冒药丸的趋势,并强调除了可疑的非法物质外,对药物进行分析的重要性。这项监测正在进行中,并预计未来将与周边司法管辖区合作。