Drug related deaths increase dramatically in Scotland
Drug related deaths increase dramatically in Scotland
20 September 2019
Drug related deaths increase dramatically in Scotland
In the past year, Scotland’s drug related deaths have increased dramatically by 27%.
This almost levels the fatality rate per capita with the US. The latest figures showed the majority of fatalities was from the over 35 age group, known as the “Trainspotting generation.”
Westminster currently hold the power on the Misuse of Drugs Act, which Scotland believes should be relaxed as a method of controlling the issue in the country. One of Scotland’s most senior police officers has described the Misuse of Drugs Act as a relic that was “ripe for reform.”
The chair of the Scottish government’s task force on drug deaths, Catriona Matheson believes that treatment challenges should be investigated alongside decriminalisation;
“I understand why decriminalisation grabs most attention, but legislation, criminal justice, healthcare and public attitudes are intertwined”.
There is also a significant increase in the number of fatalities amongst the under 35 age group. These deaths are heavily linked to poly-drug use, including the relatively newly available drug named “street benzodiazepines.”
The lead pharmacist for addiction services at the city’s health and social care partnership, Dr Carole Hunter, said;
“The major problem for Glasgow is heroin and illicit benzos like etizolam or street Valium, which have never been cheaper or more available.”
International trials have shown that medicinal heroin can be an effective treatment for a number of opioid users who do not respond to regular methods of treatment. Hunter proposes opening an enhanced drug treatment centre in Glasgow for this medicinal heroin to be administered under supervision.
Dave Liddell, chief executive of Scottish Drugs Forum stated;
“Neither decriminalisation nor one drug consumption room in Glasgow is going to impact substantially on the death rate. The key focus needs to be on improving our drug treatment and care services. We need to look at access to opioid replacement therapy. Only 40% of people with a drug problem in Scotland are currently in treatment, compared with far higher numbers in England and many countries in England.”
For further information please email info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit www.randoxtoxicology.com
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Metabolic Syndrome Arrays from Randox Biosciences
17 September 2019
Metabolic Syndrome Arrays from Randox Biosciences
Metabolic syndrome is described as a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. As result of three health conditions going on, it puts the individual at greater risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke and many other risks. 1 As well as developing additional health conditions it can cause damage to the blood vessels, the blood pressure damages the blood vessels, the obesity causes a lot of strain on the blood vessels and the heart.2 Therefore, can result in serious long-term risks.
This serious health condition is very common, and studies state that it affects about 23% of adults. 3One in four adults in the UK are currently living with metabolic syndrome and often becomes more common with age2.
Usually it affects those who are overweight or considered obese, have an unbalanced diet containing high levels of sugar and fat and have high cholesterol and extremely high blood pressure2 therefore, the condition can be prevented by reducing the risks.
1 According to the NHS, metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has three or more of the following measurements:
-Abdominal obesity (Waist circumference of greater than 40 inches in men, and greater than 35 inches in women)
-Triglyceride level of 150 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) or greater
– HDL cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
– Systolic blood pressure (top number) of 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater, or diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) of 85 mm Hg or greater
There are many ways to prevent metabolic syndrome from developing, making lifestyle changes for example, ensuring their weight is healthy by increasing physical exercise, eating a well-balanced healthy diet containing whole grains, fruit, vegetables and fish and finally, visiting the GP to monitor and manage blood glucose, blood cholesterol and blood pressure, quit smoking and managing your stress.
Randox offers the Evidence Evolution including two Metabolic Syndrome Arrays which allows multiplex testing from a single sample allowing rapid turnaround time and are suitable for both serum and plasma samples.
Metabolic Syndrome Array I
- Ferritin
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
- Insulin
- Leptin
- Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)
- Resistin
Metabolic Syndrome Array II
- Adiponectin
- C-reactive Protein (CRP)
- Cystatin C
For more information on our Evidence Series or Metabolic Syndrome Range of Assays, contact us at EvidenceSeries@randox.com
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/metabolic-syndrome/
- https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/health-wellbeing/conditions/cardiovascular/metabolic-syndrome
- http://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/metabolic-syndrome/about-metabolic-syndrome
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New Randox Online Store launched with exclusive offers and discounts
10 September 2019
New Randox Online Store
Randox launches new Online Store with exclusive offers and discounts
Global diagnostics company Randox Laboratories has unveiled a new Online Store aimed at facilitating more convenient and efficient product purchase for its customers.
Selling the firm’s world-renowned Quality Control, Reagents, dedicated RX series kits and consumables online, the website offers customers the opportunity to avail of the most exclusive offers and discounted prices, as well as ‘Last Chance To Buy’ kits not to be found anywhere else.
The development of the store began in late 2018 and was concluded earlier this year.
Lynsey Adams, Randox Quality Control Marketing Manager commented;
“At Randox our clients are always our top priority and as such we are extremely pleased to be able to launch our new online store, facilitating even more convenient and easy-to-use product purchase for our customers.
“Consumer buying habits are ever-changing and it is important that we keep apace to meet customers’ needs and expectations. Being able to order our quality diagnostic products via the simple click of a button will revolutionise the way hospitals, laboratories and veterinary clinics can access the Randox products they require to complete their testing.”
The new Randox Online Store is made up of five sub-sections – Product Catalogue, New Products, Best Sellers, Clearance, and Last Chance To Buy. Customers can therefore now browse directly a range of additional and supplementary diagnostic products including those which have been discounted due to short expiry or discontinuation, and each month, a selection of featured products on special offer in the clearance section.
Lynsey continued;
“The Randox Online Store is a complimentary resource for our Business Development team, who can now offer, in addition to the competitively priced quality control, reagents and Rx series analysers in our testing menu, a discounted selection of surplus stock and discontinued kits that may previously have gone unused.
“Not only is our Online Store improving the customer experience, it is having a significantly positive impact on the environment by reducing waste.”
There is currently a live 20% discount valid on a customer’s first purchase on the Randox Online Store when they sign up to the store’s mailing list.
A simple and efficient checkout process shows the total cost of the order, including shipping costs and VAT, and payments are powered by ‘WorldPay’ which facilitates a wide variety of payment options including PayPal.
To visit the Randox Online Store and view our range of diagnostic products for sale, please visit https://store.randox.com/
For further information please email market@randox.com or contact your Randox Representative.
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Randox Health Grand National bid is Tiger Roll’s main target
06 September 2019
Tiger Roll bids for Randox Health Grand National 2020
Gordon Elliott has confirmed that history-making Randox Health Grand National bid is Tiger Roll’s main target
Tiger Roll will run only twice this season before bidding to become the first horse in history to win the £1-million Randox Health Grand National for a third consecutive year, his trainer Gordon Elliott has revealed.
In April, Tiger Roll emulated the legendary Red Rum to win the world’s greatest steeplechase back to back.
Trainer Gordon Elliott has now confirmed for the first time that the Gigginstown-owned nine-year-old is definitely being aimed at the Aintree showpiece event on Saturday, April 4, 2020, with top jockey Davy Russell named as the man who will partner him again.
However, Tiger Roll will not set foot on a racecourse until the New Year in preparation for his record-breaking attempt, with a bid to win at a fifth Cheltenham Festival also planned.
In an interview with Aintree Racecourse, Gordon Elliott said Tiger Roll has returned to the yard from his summer holiday fit and well.
Elliott said:
“It is great to see him back, doing a bit of work again. He has had a nice couple of months of summer holidays.
“He went back to Gigginstown obviously. He was probably out there and had about 10-12 weeks out on grass. He hasn’t had a saddle on him since Aintree and the National but he has done a few parades and had a few good days out, which is great.
“I have seen him a couple of times during the summer at Gigginstown and he was good and strong, and I have seen him when he was here for a while before he went off to do his flat work and he looked good.
“He will probably do three or four weeks of flat work before he comes back to us in the main yard here.
“Obviously he won’t be that busy this year. We are going to have to mind him now and pick and choose where we go. He will probably have one run over hurdles, maybe something like the Boyne Hurdle (Navan, February) again. He will go back to Cheltenham (March) for the Cross Country race and then we’ll go for the Randox Health Grand National.”
The trainer went on to reveal riding arrangements for this season: “Keith (Donoghue) will ride him in Cheltenham in the Cross Country race and the Boyne Hurdle and then Davy Russell will ride him in the National.”
Elliott was also candid when asked whether he had been tempted to run Tiger Roll in one of the top G1 races of the Jumps calendar.
He said: “People tell me I should be entering him in Stayers’ Hurdles or Gold Cups but I was always taught and I am a big believer in going for the race you think you can win at the Cheltenham Festival and the race I think I can win at the Cheltenham Festival is the Cross Country race, so that’s where he will go. But the number one target this year will be the English National.”
Tiger Roll’s second Randox Health Grand National win in April this year sparked huge interest around Britain and Ireland in the horse, along with a number of public appearances in the weeks which followed.
Elliott admits that he only realised how much his stable superstar meant to people after the race when reading headlines and meeting people.
He explained: “You don’t really realise how much the horse meant to everyone. You see all the kids and all the different people who came to the yard.
“You don’t really appreciate it when you are in the bubble yourself. You don’t realise how much of a thing there is about this horse, you know? It’s only after when you sit back and you watch the videos and read all the paper clippings, people have really got to like him.
“You know, he has got a great name, Tiger Roll, and he’s got a great heart. He has obviously won at four Cheltenham Festivals and to win two Randox Health Grand Nationals has been unbelievable.
“Everyone who comes into the yard, there’s only one horse they want to see and that is Tiger Roll. He’s a people’s horse now and we are very lucky to have him.
“Red Rum was before my time but you’ve seen the videos and heard all about him. He was an amazing horse and to be in the same league as him is unbelievable.”
Ominously for his rivals, Elliott says he thinks Tiger Roll has improved as a horse and, if everything in his preparation goes right, he will have a fantastic chance to make history.
He added: “I suppose last year (2018) we thought he would hose up until the last 50 yards and he just nearly got caught. I was still confident when he had got past the line last year that he had won but, until they call the result, you never know.
“This year was probably easier to watch. He travelled and jumped and did everything right. You know, it’s a funny thing to say but he was arguably a better horse this year than he was last year.
“I think the build up to the English National this season is going to be unbelievable. The hype – people are talking about him already. Whether he wins, loses or draws if he gets back there to have a go at three in a row it’s going to be great. The hype is going to be brilliant.”
If all the preparation has gone well then, come April, all the focus will be on one horse and whether he can write himself into the record books yet again.
His trainer is confident the “people’s horse” will not be worried about the pressure.
Referring to his victory in this year’s Randox Health Grand National, Elliott concluded: “We were very, very happy with the horse, he was in great form and we got him there in great order. If we can get him there in half as good a form next year then he will have a massive chance.
“He knows he’s good, he loves the attention. You just watch him walking round the parade ring before and after races and he knows he is Tiger Roll.”
Tickets for the 2020 Randox Health Grand National Festival are now on sale.
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Addressing Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace
05 September 2019
Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing
Addressing Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace
Within any business, companies seek to outline clear methods in which employees should act and behave whilst carrying out their roles. These rules are outlined in company workplace policies. Every business – no matter which industry it operates in – should have well-documented and comprehensive workplace policies and procedures in place.
According to the Employment Law Handbook, a workplace policy is a set of rules and principles that aims to provide guidance to managers and workers in how to behave in the workplace. They can be in place for numerous different issues – bullying, harassment, internet use, health and safety are just a few that can be implemented.
Health and Safety
As mentioned above, health and safety is an important aspect of any workplace policy. The health and well-being of the working community is of utmost importance for sustainable development. Specifically, a drug and alcohol policy is a key part of the overall health and safety policy within a company. Alcohol and drugs through their effects on health, safety, work performance and absenteeism can jeopardise productivity, deny businesses the leading edge and curtail competitiveness. Effectively implemented drug and alcohol policies will help employers in the legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees.
The need for a Drug and Alcohol Policy
Drugs and alcohol misuse can have dangerous consequences within the workplace. All organisations can benefit from an agreed policy that applies to all staff. There are wide range of statistics available to highlight the worrying impact that drugs and alcohol can have on individuals. In 2016, it was estimated that £7 billion was lost in productivity through unemployment and sickness. Furthermore, 10.8 million adults in England are drinking at levels that pose some risk to their health. A survey carried out by UK based Health and Safety Consultants Protecting.co.uk showed that; from 2,600 workers in office, factory, retail and the public sector, 85% admit to being drunk at work in the last year; not including the Christmas party. 28% of those surveyed admitted using drugs at work, including NPS (formerly legal highs) cannabis and other illegal substances.
From a legal point of view, employers have a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of employees. Also, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, to assess the risks to the health and safety of employees. If an employer knowingly allows an employee under the influence of drug misuse to continue working and his/her behaviour places the employee or others at risk, they may face prosecution.
Advantages of having policies in place
Having well-developed policies and procedures can provide a range of benefits to an organisation. An effectively implemented drug and alcohol policy will ensure a clear understanding within the workplace of the rules relating to drugs and alcohol. It will also provide a greater awareness in workplaces of the effects of drugs and alcohol an consequently early recognition. Furthermore, it ensures that the necessary structures and procedures are in place should a problem arise. An up to date policy will also provide assurance that key staff have been trained to understand the issues involved and have the necessary skills to deal with any problems should they arise.
How can Randox Testing Services help?
At Randox Testing Services we offer a comprehensive consultancy service to help employers create an effective substance misuse policy. By providing this service we offer practical advice, guidance and support in composing a substance misuse policy.
Our confidential policy review service provides assistance to employers with an existing substance misuse policy. With this service, we help to modify existing documents to ensure it is legally viable and can withstand challenge in court.
For more information on our comprehensive consultancy service, visit our website: www.randoxtestingservices.com or contact us by emailing testingservices@randox.com.
To read more about workplace polices and their importance within an organisation, click here.
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Randox puts exports under the microscope at NI Chamber Forum
Putting exports under the microscope at NI Chamber Forum
The Senior Manager for Government Affairs and Strategic Outreach at Randox, Colonel Mark Campbell CBE will discuss the company’s international success at NI Chamber’s next Exporter Forum on 25 September.
Supported by Danske Bank, the initiative provides a platform for Northern Ireland’s most successful exporters to share their inspirational journeys in order to encourage others to grow export activity within their own business.
With offices and distribution in over 145 countries, Randox is one of the region’s most successful exporters and a world leader in the healthcare industry. At the event, Mark will take delegates through the company’s export story, outlining how the business has grown in international markets. Attendees will also be offered an exclusive tour of Randox’s new Science Park.
Encouraging companies with export aspirations to attend, Jonathan Elder, Corporate Banking Manager at Danske Bank, said:
“Danske Bank is proud to support the Export First Exporter forum at the brand new Randox Science Park. Randox has for many years been one of Northern Ireland’s most successful export businesses and so the chance to learn from the company’s experience in international markets will, I’m sure, be invaluable for those who attend the event. If we want Northern Ireland’s economy to grow, particularly post-Brexit, it will be essential that more of our small and medium sized businesses follow the example of market leaders like Randox and take the opportunities on offer to them to sell outside of Northern Ireland.”
Mark Campbell, Senior Manager at Randox Laboratories, added;
“From the very outset Randox has been focussed on export markets – aiming to improve diagnostics, and healthcare, on a global basis. After some 37 years, Randox now export to 145 countries and around 95% of our product is exported.
“Achieving success in export markets can be challenging but the rewards are potentially significant – both in the potential for growth and in improving overall economic wellbeing.
“With this focus on exports in mind, we are very much looking forward to the NI Chamber Export First Exporter Forum. This Forum will provide a valuable opportunity to explore with other Northern Ireland companies export strategies, and how to optimise the potential for company and wider economic growth from overseas markets.”
To register for this event, which takes place on 25 September 2019, between 9.30-11.30am at Randox Laboratories, Antrim visit www.northernirelandchamber.com/events
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Randox Health takes life-extending diagnostic service on the road
03 September 2019
Randox Health Mobile Clinic
Do you know about our Mobile Health Service?
Clients of Randox Health are benefiting from “full-body MoTs” by providing blood samples in state-of-the-art Mobile Service clinics based on Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. The company’s phlebotomists use their strikingly styled vehicles to visit workplaces, gyms, private homes, and other locations, and provide an ultra-convenient service which can extend lives.
Randox Health is committed to identifying and preventing illness by detecting small changes in blood. Its patented diagnostic testing technology is capable of identifying up to 350 individual ‘biomarkers’ in a single sample. Randox Health operates clinics in Belfast, Liverpool and London, and introduced its first mobile unit in 2017. Such has been the demand from health-conscious clients throughout Ireland, that it has now added a second.
Based in Liverpool, the newer vehicle is from the latest-generation Sprinter range launched last year, which combines unprecedented levels of cab quality and comfort, with 4G wi-fi connectivity, and an industry-leading armoury of active and passive safety features. Like its predecessor, the 3.5-tonne 314 CDI L2 chassis cab was supplied by Intercounty Truck & Van, one of two members of the Mercedes-Benz Vans retail network whose parent company is Ballyvesey Holdings, of Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland.
Both vehicles’ purpose-designed bodies are the work of specialist coachbuilder Annard, of Loughall, County Armagh. Features include ‘pop out’ sections that address Randox Health’s requirement for additional floor space. With their aerodynamic enhancements, colour-coded door mirrors and bumpers, and alloy wheels, the Sprinters are real head-turners, and have attracted enthusiastic feedback from clients.
Explaining the rationale behind Randox Health’s decision to launch its mobile clinic service, Operations Manager Lauren Donaghy said:
“Increasing demand from corporate clients and private individuals for our pioneering health checks meant we needed to come up with a solution which ensured they were accessible to all.
“Our mobile service was the answer, and by providing men and women, young and old, with what effectively amount to full-body MoTs, we’re now transforming the delivery of healthcare in the UK and Ireland.”
Lauren continued: “We provide a world-leading service, so naturally we were keen to partner with a world-leading automotive brand able to provide vehicles that offer the highest standards of reliability, comfort and safety.
“The name Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with quality, ingenuity and performance, so we knew it would be the perfect fit for our equally innovative and ambitious company. Ballyvesey Holdings, meanwhile, has worked with Mercedes-Benz for years, and came highly recommended. “With their bespoke design, the vehicles provide a perfect combination of phlebotomy functionality and patient comfort, while maintaining the look and feel of a high-end clinic room,” added Lauren Donaghy.
“People are able to book an appointment at a place of their choosing, and being able to undergo their health check in a luxurious Mercedes-Benz means the experience is first-class from start to finish.”
A world-leading health service
Mercedes-Benz Vans UK has been doing its bit to highlight issues of health and wellbeing affecting the UK’s community of van drivers, operators and owners, through its Business Barometer programme. In its latest bulletin, the manufacturer focused on poor quality diets and the apparent reluctance of many to visit a doctor, while previous instalments have covered everything from hydration in hot weather, to the affects of air pollution, and the high stress levels induced by a shortage of parking provision.
The Sprinter 314 CDI is powered by a fuel-efficient 2.1-litre common rail turbodiesel engine – although this model is now also available with front-wheel drive, as with its stablemate Randox Health’s new van transmits its 143 hp output via the rear wheels. Like all Mercedes-Benz vans, Randox Health’s Mobile Service vehicles are backed by three-year, unlimited mileage warranties and came with free MobiloVan cover, which includes round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance.
Randox Health: What We Do
Randox Health packages go beyond a health check. We have the world’s most comprehensive full-body health programmes available on the market today, thanks to Randox Biochips which enable hundreds of individual tests to be carried out from one sample and giving you truly unrivalled knowledge about your health and wellbeing both now and in the future. Our goal is to help you extend your life. Your health matters to us and, above all, we are committed to improving healthcare worldwide by identifying and preventing illness at the earliest possible stage.
How we can help you
Identifying the very first signs and risks of disease can help prevent health problems that may be on the horizon. Randox Health aim to do this before the appearance of unpleasant symptoms or illness. Prevention is always better than cure. Long-term mild dehydration may have caused damage to your health and our packages tests for up to 350 different biomarkers. Read about our packages here, or contact a member of our team for more information!
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Randox Food Diagnostics are attending AOAC Denver 2019
30 August 2019
Randox Food Diagnostics are attending AOAC Denver 2019
Randox Food Diagnostics are exhibiting at AOAC in Denver. Various contaminants are administered to animals during the farming process to treat infection and maintain herd health. Regulations are often adhered to, as quality control procedures are put in place to ensure the safe supply of agricultural produce and this is where Biochip technology can streamline the quality control process. By offering a system that can analyse up to 48 sample simultaneously, our technology delivers higher throughput which in turn saves time and money on laboratory costs and labour.
Randox Food and Biochip Array Technology
Biochip Array technology (BAT) is designed with the aim of revolutionising the screening practices of your laboratory. Designed to work across a wide variety of matrices, BAT uses a micro-spotting technique to create an assay that can detect and provide quantitative results for up to 44 residues from a single sample.
The market leading 9mm x 9mm ceramic chip brings the capacity to detect the range of antibiotics, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, growth promoting and mycotoxin residues simultaneously in a range of food and feed samples.
AOAC’s annual meeting is taking place this September in Denver. The meeting organises scientific sessions, roundtable discussions, workshops and poster presentations discussing a variety of analytical methods and requirements. Attended by scientists from across the world the conference discusses science at a different level.
At AOAC Denver you will get the opportunity to speak to our experts on the Biochip Array Technology. By visiting booth #416 you will get an introduction to BAT and find out how the technology can perfectly fit any of your screening needs.
To learn more about Biochip Array Technology contact info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com or stop by Booth #416 at AOAC Denver 2019 and chat the Randox Food team!
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RCLS and Drug Induced Kidney Injury Array (DIKI)
Drug Induced Kidney Injury (DIKI) panel is the latest innovative panel created by Randox Laboratories. It has been developed to identify four early stage markers of DIKI by screening for the biomarkers KIM-I, NGAL, Cystatin C, and Clusterin.
Drug induced nephrotoxicity is a common problem in clinical trials and clinical medicine and the incidence of drug-related acute kidney injury may be as high as 60%.1 With the success rates of phase I clinical trials sitting at just under 10% and 75 – 80 % of failures, from phase I – III, resulting from problems with efficacy and/or safety the need to improve patient safety and detect kidney injury as early as possible is vital.2
The novel Randox Drug Induced Kidney Injury Array (DIKI) test allows superior monitoring of nephrotoxicity for enhanced safety in drug development. The biomarkers have been identified as more sensitive than transitional testing methods to enhance accurate diagnosis of DIKI. The DIKI test will be able to identify the levels of toxicity present in the kidneys which is classified as one of the most common side effects of drug development trials.
In 2017, 75% to 80% of clinical trials failed due to unacceptable safety.2 The four biomarkers on the DIKI panel are recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. The biomarkers have been acknowledged as more sensitive than traditional creatinine and more specific for diagnosis and prediction monitoring. DIKI has a faster turn-around time than creatinine. The levels of serum creatinine take a lengthy 48 hours to rise in the urine of someone with Drug Induced Kidney Injury. Whereas the biomarkers, such as NGAL, on the new DIKI biochip from Randox, can be present in urine within hours following initial kidney insult. The Randox Biochip test is performed in under 3 hours. Randox Clinical Laboratory Services (RCLS) is a state of the art ISO 17025 accredited central laboratory with unrivalled facilities built upon Randox Laboratories experience and is Randox’s latest offering, dedicated to providing a clinical laboratory service designed to meet the time sensitive, bespoke requirements of clinical and research projects globally.
If you are facilitating a clinical trial and want to test for drug induced kidney injury RCLS is your out-sourcing testing solution. RCLS can assist you to ensure the toxicity and efficacy of your drug helping you to save money and time. With a greater understanding of human complexity, pharmaceutical companies are now focusing on developing safer drugs. The early detection of DIKI can reduce cost and time and will allow a safe drug in the market
If you are conducting a clinical trial or would like more information on RCLS contact info@rcls.com.
DIKI: Drug Induced Kidney Injury Array from Randox Biosciences
Randox Biosciences introduces the innovative Randox Drug Induced Kidney Injury Array (DIKI). The new panels allow superior monitoring of nephrotoxicity for enhanced safety in drug development. It has been developed to identify four early stage markers of DIKI by screening for the biomarkers KIM-I, NGAL, Cystatin C, and Clusterin which have been identified as more sensitive than transitional testing methods to enhance accurate diagnosis of DIKI.
Our Biochip Array Technology enables multiplex immunoassay testing. The DIKI panel of 4 markers is combined on a single biochip, enabling simultaneous results from each patient sample, delivering:
- Excellent inter-assay precision and required sensitivity
- Superior specificity
- Lower sample volume
- Fast turnaround time
- Safer drug development
With the number of hospitalised patients who develop a drug-induced renal problem due to the numbers of potent drugs have been added to the therapeutic arsenal in recent year1 – the DIKI can have a detrimental effect on a person’s health and wellbeing. Blakely stated that “drug-induced nephrotoxic contributes to 8 to 60% of all cases of AKI seen on the intensive care unit (ICU)”.2 Randox offers a 4-plex Drug Induced Kidney Injury test which detects early stage toxicity across the nephron, assisted through composite measurement. Earlier and more reliable detection of drug-induced kidney injury would improve clinical care and help to streamline drug-development. (Dieterle et al., 2010)3.
The poor sensitivity of serum creatinine for detecting and monitoring DIKI is well documented in academic journals. As a result, for early phase trials European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are encouraging the use of more novel urinary biomarkers alongside conventional safety monitoring. The new panel will be able to identify the levels of toxicity present in the kidneys which is classified as one of the most common side effects of drug development trials.
The new Randox Drug Induced Kidney Injury (DIKI) panel can help you conduct clinical trials safer and faster. For more information contact info@randoxbiosciences.com.
