Validation of a Phencyclidine (PCP) Oral Fluid ELISA

Abstract

The ability to accurately detect the abuse of narcotics is of great concern for public safety. However many tests have varying levels of sensitivity and precision; therefore, identifying the best method is of great value for accurate and efficient results. The goal is to maximize productivity while prioritizing accuracy which can be achieved with a standardized method at Forensic Fluid Laboratories (FFL), a commercial laboratory mainly specializing in oral fluid drug testing. However, tests for some individual drugs are unable to produce accurate results when following the standard method; therefore, method validation is essential in confirming the best approach for each drug. The drug focused on for this study is Phencyclidine (PCP), and the goal is to determine if the standard methodology used at FFL can be applied to an OraSure Technologies, Inc. (OTI) PCP enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).