FDAnews
www.fdanews.com/articles/88352-fda-clears-biosite-drug-screening-diagnostic-to-perform-methadone-detection

FDA CLEARS BIOSITE DRUG SCREENING DIAGNOSTIC TO PERFORM METHADONE DETECTION

July 13, 2006

Biosite has received FDA clearance to its Triage TOX Drug Screen diagnostic test for methadone detection, the company said July 13.

The addition of methadone -- a drug that interacts with the central nervous system and is used to treat narcotic withdrawal and dependence -- expands the test's screening capability to cover 10 drug classes that can be simultaneously detected within approximately 15 minutes, the company said.

Methadone "can dangerously interact with other medications, which can put patients at risk if the substances in their body are not accurately identified in a timely manner," said Norman Paradis, Biosite's vice president of clinical and medical affairs.