Harm Reduction
Offering

Enter Innova's Test Strips

Fentanyl Test Strips (FTS) and Xylazine Test Strips (XTS) are low-cost methods to help prevent drug overdoses and reduce harm. Both FTS and XTS are small stripes of paper that can detect the presence of Fentanyl and Xylazine respectively in various kinds of drugs (Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables).

FTS and XTS provide people who use drugs and communities with critical information about Fentanyl and Xylazine in the illicit drug supply, enabling them to take steps to mitigate the risk of overdose.

In April 2021, CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Announced federal funding could be used to purchase FTS. This purchase approval applies to all federal grant programs, like CDC’s multiyear Overdose Data to Action cooperative agreement, if the purchase of FTS is consistent with the purpose of the program.

Allowing federal grant programs to purchase FTS helps create opportunities for people who use drugs to interact with community-based organizations who may also offer mental health and behavioral services a person needs.

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that is similar to morphine and heroin but is 50 to 100 times more potent.

Fentanyl and its analogs are members of the class of drugs known as rapid- acting synthetic opioids that alleviate pain.

Other drugs in this class include fentanyl analogs, such as acetylfentanyl, butyrfentanyl, carfentanil, alfentanil, sufentanil and remifentanil. Fentanyl acts quickly to depress central nervous system and respiratory function. Exposure to fentanyl may be fatal.

Exposure Risks
to Fentanyl

Potential exposure routes of greatest concern include Inhalation, Mucous Membrane Contact (Eyes/Nose), Ingestion and Percutaneous (Needlestick).

Any of these exposure routes can potentially result in a variety of symptoms that can include the rapid onset of life-threatening respiratory depression. Skin exposure to powdered or dry forms of fentanyl is not likely to cause overdoses in small amounts if promptly removed. Liquid or highly concentrated fentanyl can be absorbed rapidly via skin and can be extremely toxic.

FTS provide people who use drugs and communities with important information about Fentanyl in the illicit drug supply so they can take steps to reduce the risk of overdose.

What should you do if you believe you have been exposed to a substance that could be fentanyl?

Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Wash your hands with soap and water to remove any substance from your hands.
If you begin to experience any adverse medical symptoms, seek medical attention.

Fighting the Fentanyl Threat

Our Fentanyl Test Strips represent an effective, easy-to-use way to detect Fentanyl contents in a cut-off of 200 ng/mL.

Users get built-in procedural control and results in 5 minutes. The solution detects Fentanyl analogues as well, including Carfentanil, Butyryl Fentanyl, p-Fluoro Fentanyl, Acetyl Fentanyl, Furanyl Fentanyl, Valeryl Fentanyl, Ocfentanil, 3-Methyl Fentanyl, Remifentanil, and Sufentanil.

Testing Procedure

Results Interpretation

What is Xylazine?

Xylazine is a drug used in veterinary medicine as a sedative with analgesic and muscle relaxant properties. It is used on many different animal species such as cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, deer, rats, and elk to calm and facilitate handling, perform diagnostic and surgical procedures, relieve pain, or act as a local anesthetic.

Reports, alerts, and advisories indicate an increased xylazine prevalence as an adulterant in drugs of abuse mixtures. This non-narcotic agent was first synthesized in 1962 by the Bayer Company. Xylazine has been studied in humans for its potential use as an analgesic, hypnotic, and anesthetic, but these clinical trials were terminated due to its severe hypotension and central nervous system depressant effects.

Xylazine is not approved for human use. Besides its use as an adulterant, reports have also demonstrated that xylazine was used in Drug Facilitated Crimes (DFC) to induce sleep.

The National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) is a DEA database that collects scientifically verified drug data. Xylazine was identified in over 3,800 NFLIS-DRUG reports from 2015 through December 2020, with each progressing year increasing compared to the previous year with the largest recording in 2020 of 1,492 reports. Many public health departments and poison control centers issued advisories and alerts while seizure activity have also been reported nationwide with large quantities found in PA, CT, and CA.

Tackling the Xylazine Problem with the Right Tools

Innova’s Fentanyl Test Strips are helping users to detect Xylazine with effectiveness in liquid or powder dope samples above 1,000 ng/mL.

Users get built-in procedural control and results in 5 minutes.