Section 5A drug-driving: revised FSA specific requirements

The Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) is seeking comments from those carrying out FSA DTN-102, on the FSR’s intention to incorporate changes to the code under the FSA specific requirements for the toxicology analyses of s5A drug driving blood samples.

The FSR’s statutory code of practice incorporated the analytical approach as detailed in FSR-C133 into the code as FSA specific requirements for DTN-102. When version 1 of the FSR’s code of practice was consulted upon significant comment was received on these requirements.

In response the FSR established a working group to review the analytical requirements and advise the FSR on the approach. The updated requirements have been drafted by the working group comprising representatives from forensic science providers, independent practice, defence work, the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and UKAS.

The intention is for the updated requirements to be incorporated into version 2 of the code.

The updated requirements include:

• refreshing the introductory paragraphs now that the requirements sit within the code of practice
• greater clarity and removal of ambiguity in the analytical requirements: including acceptable quality control samples and calibration curves, manual integration and ion ratios for mass spectrometry methods
• greater clarity on the use of whole blood, and internal standard responses
• greater clarity on the use of the standard deviation and rounding to reach the final reported figure

Regulator’s notification 04-2024: S5A drug-driving FSA-specific requirements

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