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SWGDRUG
Scientific Working Group for the
Analysis of Seized Drugs
Sponsorship/Funding
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Previously funded by ONDCP
Since 2006, funded by
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Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of
Forensic Sciences
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AND
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
Mission of SWGDRUG
The mission of SWGDRUG is to
recommend minimum standards for
the forensic examination of seized
drugs and to seek their international
acceptance.
SWGDRUG Objectives
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Specifying requirements for practitioners’
knowledge, skills and abilities,
Promoting professional development,
Providing a means of information exchange
within the forensic science community,
Promoting ethical standards of practitioners,
Providing minimum standards for examinations
and reporting,
Establishing quality assurance requirements,
Considering relevant international standards, and
Seeking international acceptance of SWGDRUG
recommendations
Membership
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Members must be experienced and have knowledge in
forensic drug analysis
 Maximum of 30 – Chair, Secretariat & members
Chair is appointed by DEA Office of Forensic Sciences
Deputy Assistant Administrator and must be a DEA
employee
Members appointed by Chair
 Chair endeavors to maintain core committee consisting
of representatives from national and international
forensic organizations
Appointments reside with individual and continues at
discretion of Chair (not agency or affiliation
appointment)
 Appointments 3 years, no limitations of number of
CORE COMMITTEE
• DEA – Nelson Santos (Chair)
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Secretariat – Scott Oulton (non-voting)
FBI - Eileen Waninger
ASCLD – Garth Glassburg
NIST - Susan Ballou
ASTM and NEAFS- Jack Mario
Educator – Dr. Chris Tindall
Educator – Dr. Suzanne Bell
CORE COMMITTEE
• CAC & NWAFS - Jerry Massetti
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MAFS - Richard Paulas
MAAFS - Linda Jackson
SAFS – Christian Matchett
Toxicology – Dr. Robert Powers
CORE COMMITTEE
• Canada - Richard Laing
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Japan – Mr. Osamu Ohtsuru
United Kingdom - Dr. Sylvia Burns
Australia - Catherine Quinn
Germany - Dr. Udo Zerell
ENFSI - Dr. Michael Bovens
UNODC - Dr. Iphigenia Naidis
Meetings
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Meet at least once per year, but generally
meet twice depending upon available
funding
SWGDRUG Members receive no
compensation in lieu of salary or wages for
their time spent attending meetings or
working on business
Minutes are prepared and posted on the
website following an appropriate comment
period
SWGDRUG Process
The SWGDRUG process is an
international forensic science community
endeavor
 Chair establishes subcommittees and
designates Subcommittee Chairs to work
on projects
 Core committee reviews draft
recommendations provided by
subcommittees
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SWGDRUG Process
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After review, core committee conducts formal vote
 Acceptance vote releases the draft
recommendation for public comment for
minimum of 60 days
 Non-acceptance returns draft to subcommittee
for further consideration
Voting - 3/4s of the full core committee must be
present. 2/3s of those present must vote in the
affirmative (YES) for a proposal to proceed
Subcommittee Process
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Public comments received from draft
recommendation are acknowledged and forwarded
to subcommittee for review and consideration
Each comment is addressed and outcome
provided to the core committee for consensus
After public comment and necessary revision(s),
recommendation back to Core membership for
formal vote
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Acceptance released recommendation for publication
Non-acceptance returns draft to subcommitte for
further consideration
Recommendations – 4 Parts
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Part I – A Code of Professional Practice for
Drug Analysts
Part II – Education and Training
Part III – Methods of Analysis
Sampling seized drug for qualitative analysis
 Drug identification
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Part IV – Quality Assurance
General practices
 Validation of analytical methods
 Uncertainty
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Supplementary Documents
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Adopted by the Core Committee in August 2005
 The supplementary documents are not SWGDRUG
recommendations
 Supplementary documents are intended to be a
resource for those responsible for implementing
SWGDRUG recommendations
 These documents are not inclusive and
SWGDRUG recognizes that there are many ways of
implementing the recommendations
 These are living documents and as such,
SWGDRUG invites comments. Send your
comments to [email protected]
Approved Supplemental
Documents
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Supplemental Document SD-1 – For Part I “A Code
of Professional Practice for Drug Analysts”
Supplemental Document SD-2 – For Part IVB
“Quality Assurance/Validation of Analytical
Methods”
Current Projects
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Four Active Subcommittees
 1) Uncertainty Subcommittee
 Develop Supplemental Documents
 2) Education and Training Subcommittee
 Devise Comprehensive Training Program
 3) Editorial/Communications Subcommittee
 Revise/Edit Current SWGDRUG
Recommendations
 4) Coordination with CLIC
 Developing standards for the ID of inorganics
Glossary
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The accepted revised Glossary of terms was
adopted by the Core Committee in August 2005
The Glossary was revised to substitute with
ISO terms and definitions where feasible to
promote international acceptance
First sought glossaries published by recognized
standardizing organizations like ISO, ASTM,
IUPAC, UNDCP, and those, where possible,
that are primary sources.
ASTM
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All recommendations have been
adopted/approved by ASTM with the
exception of the uncertainty
recommendation
The uncertainty recommendation is
currently up for approval
Visit us at:
www.swgdrug.org