SWGDRUG Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs

SWGDRUGSWGDRUG

Scientific Working Scientific Working Group for the Analysis Group for the Analysis

of Seized Drugsof Seized Drugs

Sponsorship/Sponsorship/FundingFunding Previously funded by ONDCPPreviously funded by ONDCP

Since 2006, funded bySince 2006, funded by Drug Enforcement Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration,

Office of Forensic SciencesOffice of Forensic Sciences ANDAND

National Institute of Standards and National Institute of Standards and TechnologyTechnology

Mission of SWGDRUGMission of SWGDRUG

The mission of SWGDRUG The mission of SWGDRUG is to recommend minimum is to recommend minimum standards for the forensic standards for the forensic examination of seized examination of seized drugs and to seek their drugs and to seek their international acceptance.international acceptance.

SWGDRUG ObjectivesSWGDRUG Objectives Specifying requirements for practitioners’ Specifying requirements for practitioners’

knowledge, skills and abilities, knowledge, skills and abilities, Promoting professional development,Promoting professional development, Providing a means of information exchange Providing a means of information exchange

within the forensic science community, within the forensic science community, Promoting ethical standards of Promoting ethical standards of

practitioners,practitioners, Providing minimum standards for Providing minimum standards for

examinations and reporting,examinations and reporting, Establishing quality assurance Establishing quality assurance

requirements,requirements, Considering relevant international Considering relevant international

standards, andstandards, and Seeking international acceptance of Seeking international acceptance of

SWGDRUG recommendationsSWGDRUG recommendations

MembershipMembership Members must be experienced and have Members must be experienced and have

knowledge in forensic drug analysisknowledge in forensic drug analysis Maximum of 30 – Chair, Secretariat & membersMaximum of 30 – Chair, Secretariat & members

Chair is appointed by DEA Office of Forensic Chair is appointed by DEA Office of Forensic Sciences Deputy Assistant Administrator and Sciences Deputy Assistant Administrator and must be a DEA employeemust be a DEA employee

Members appointed by ChairMembers appointed by Chair Chair endeavors to maintain core committee Chair endeavors to maintain core committee

consisting of representatives from national and consisting of representatives from national and international forensic organizationsinternational forensic organizations

Appointments reside with individual and Appointments reside with individual and continues at discretion of Chair (not agency or continues at discretion of Chair (not agency or affiliation appointment)affiliation appointment) Appointments 3 years, no limitations of Appointments 3 years, no limitations of

number of termsnumber of terms

CORE COMMITTEECORE COMMITTEE

• DEA – Nelson Santos DEA – Nelson Santos (Chair)(Chair)• Secretariat – Scott Oulton Secretariat – Scott Oulton (non-voting)(non-voting)

• FBI - Eileen WaningerFBI - Eileen Waninger• ASCLD – Garth GlassburgASCLD – Garth Glassburg• NIST - Susan BallouNIST - Susan Ballou• ASTM and NEAFS- Jack ASTM and NEAFS- Jack MarioMario• Educator – Dr. Chris Educator – Dr. Chris TindallTindall

• Educator – Dr. Suzanne Educator – Dr. Suzanne BellBell


• CAC & NWAFS - Jerry CAC & NWAFS - Jerry MassettiMassetti• MAFS - Richard PaulasMAFS - Richard Paulas• MAAFS - Linda JacksonMAAFS - Linda Jackson• SAFS – Christian MatchettSAFS – Christian Matchett• Toxicology – Dr. Robert Toxicology – Dr. Robert PowersPowers


• Canada - Richard LaingCanada - Richard Laing• Japan – Mr. Osamu Japan – Mr. Osamu OhtsuruOhtsuru• United Kingdom - Dr. United Kingdom - Dr. Sylvia BurnsSylvia Burns• Australia - Catherine Australia - Catherine QuinnQuinn• Germany - Dr. Udo ZerellGermany - Dr. Udo Zerell• ENFSI - Dr. Michael ENFSI - Dr. Michael BovensBovens• UNODC - Dr. Iphigenia UNODC - Dr. Iphigenia NaidisNaidis

MeetingsMeetings Meet at least once per year, but Meet at least once per year, but

generally meet twice depending generally meet twice depending upon available fundingupon available funding

SWGDRUG Members receive no SWGDRUG Members receive no compensation in lieu of salary or compensation in lieu of salary or wages for their time spent wages for their time spent attending meetings or working attending meetings or working on businesson business

Minutes are prepared and posted Minutes are prepared and posted on the website following an on the website following an appropriate comment periodappropriate comment period

SWGDRUG ProcessSWGDRUG Process The SWGDRUG process is an The SWGDRUG process is an

international forensic science international forensic science community endeavorcommunity endeavor

Chair establishes Chair establishes subcommittees and designates subcommittees and designates Subcommittee Chairs to work on Subcommittee Chairs to work on projectsprojects

Core committee reviews draft Core committee reviews draft recommendations provided by recommendations provided by subcommitteessubcommittees

SWGDRUG ProcessSWGDRUG Process After review, core committee conducts After review, core committee conducts

formal voteformal vote Acceptance vote releases the draft Acceptance vote releases the draft

recommendation for public comment recommendation for public comment for minimum of 60 daysfor minimum of 60 days

Non-acceptance returns draft to Non-acceptance returns draft to subcommittee for further subcommittee for further considerationconsideration

Voting - 3/4s of the full core committee Voting - 3/4s of the full core committee must be present. 2/3s of those present must be present. 2/3s of those present must vote in the affirmative (YES) for a must vote in the affirmative (YES) for a proposal to proceedproposal to proceed

Subcommittee ProcessSubcommittee Process Public comments received from draft Public comments received from draft

recommendation are acknowledged and recommendation are acknowledged and forwarded to subcommittee for review and forwarded to subcommittee for review and considerationconsideration

Each comment is addressed and outcome Each comment is addressed and outcome provided to the core committee for consensusprovided to the core committee for consensus

After public comment and necessary After public comment and necessary revision(s), recommendation back to Core revision(s), recommendation back to Core membership for formal votemembership for formal vote Acceptance released recommendation for Acceptance released recommendation for

publicationpublication Non-acceptance returns draft to subcommitte for Non-acceptance returns draft to subcommitte for

further considerationfurther consideration

Recommendations – 4 PartsRecommendations – 4 Parts Part I – A Code of Professional Part I – A Code of Professional

Practice for Drug AnalystsPractice for Drug Analysts Part II – Education and TrainingPart II – Education and Training Part III – Methods of AnalysisPart III – Methods of Analysis

Sampling seized drug for qualitative Sampling seized drug for qualitative analysisanalysis

Drug identificationDrug identification Part IV – Quality AssurancePart IV – Quality Assurance

General practicesGeneral practices Validation of analytical methodsValidation of analytical methods UncertaintyUncertainty

Supplementary DocumentsSupplementary Documents Adopted by the Core Committee in August Adopted by the Core Committee in August

20052005 The supplementary documents are not The supplementary documents are not

SWGDRUG recommendations SWGDRUG recommendations Supplementary documents are intended to Supplementary documents are intended to

be a resource for those responsible for be a resource for those responsible for implementing SWGDRUG implementing SWGDRUG recommendationsrecommendations

These documents are not inclusive and These documents are not inclusive and SWGDRUG recognizes that there are many SWGDRUG recognizes that there are many ways of implementing the ways of implementing the recommendationsrecommendations

These are living documents and as such, These are living documents and as such, SWGDRUG invites comments. Send your SWGDRUG invites comments. Send your comments to [email protected] comments to [email protected]

Approved Supplemental Approved Supplemental DocumentsDocuments

Supplemental Document SD-1 – For Part Supplemental Document SD-1 – For Part I “A Code of Professional Practice for I “A Code of Professional Practice for Drug Analysts”Drug Analysts”

Supplemental Document SD-2 – For Part Supplemental Document SD-2 – For Part IVB “Quality Assurance/Validation of IVB “Quality Assurance/Validation of Analytical Methods”Analytical Methods”

Current ProjectsCurrent Projects Four Active SubcommitteesFour Active Subcommittees

1) Uncertainty Subcommittee1) Uncertainty Subcommittee Develop Supplemental DocumentsDevelop Supplemental Documents

2) Education and Training Subcommittee2) Education and Training Subcommittee Devise Comprehensive Training ProgramDevise Comprehensive Training Program

3) Editorial/Communications 3) Editorial/Communications SubcommitteeSubcommittee Revise/Edit Current SWGDRUG Revise/Edit Current SWGDRUG RecommendationsRecommendations

4) Coordination with CLIC4) Coordination with CLIC Developing standards for the ID of Developing standards for the ID of inorganicsinorganics

GlossaryGlossary The accepted revised Glossary of terms was The accepted revised Glossary of terms was

adopted by the Core Committee in August adopted by the Core Committee in August 20052005

The Glossary was revised to substitute with The Glossary was revised to substitute with ISO terms and definitions where feasible to ISO terms and definitions where feasible to promote international acceptancepromote international acceptance

First sought glossaries published by First sought glossaries published by recognized standardizing organizations recognized standardizing organizations like ISO, ASTM, IUPAC, UNDCP, and those, like ISO, ASTM, IUPAC, UNDCP, and those, where possible, that are primary sources.where possible, that are primary sources.

ASTMASTM All recommendations have been All recommendations have been

adopted/approved by ASTM with adopted/approved by ASTM with the exception of the uncertainty the exception of the uncertainty recommendationrecommendation

The uncertainty recommendation The uncertainty recommendation is currently up for approvalis currently up for approval

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