The United Kingdom and Ireland association of forensic toxicologists forensic toxicology laboratory guidelines (2018)

In 2010, the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT) created forensic toxicology laboratory guidelines. This represents a revision of those guidelines as a result of the changing toxicological and technical landscape.     

Crime control teams: An alternative to the conventional operational procedure of investigating crimes

Crime control teams (CCT) have been operational in Syracuse, New York, since 1968. The CCT concept of policing places the responsibility of disposing of criminal incidents on a single individual—the CCT officer assigned the initial complaint. The effectiveness of this method of crime investigation, as measured by clearance rate, is compared with the effectiveness of the conventional method in which the responsibility is shared by the patrol officer and the investigator. Specific strategies responsible for the difference in effectiveness are also discussed.     

The possible influence of micro-organisms and putrefaction in the production of GHB in post-mortem biological fluid

In recent years, the post-mortem production of the drug of abuse gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in biological fluids (e.g. blood and urine) has caused various interpretative problems for toxicologists. Previously, other researchers have shown certain microbial species (Pseudomonas spp. and Clostridium aminobutyricum) possess the necessary enzymes to convert GABA to GHB. A preliminary investigation involving putrefied post-mortem blood indicated there was no observed relationship between "endogenous" GHB concentrations and concentrations of common putrefactive markers (tryptamine and phenyl-2-ethylamine). Microbiological analysis identified the presence of various micro-organisms: Clostridia spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Enterococcus faecalis and Aeromonoas spp. Equine plasma, human blood and urine samples were inoculated with these and an additional micro-organism (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and incubated at 22 degrees C for 1 month. Following comparison with control samples and pre-inoculation concentrations, the data indicated an apparent production of GHB in unpreserved P. aeruginosa inoculated blood (2.3 mg/l). All other fluoride-preserved and unpreserved samples (including controls) had GHB concentrations <1mg/l. Although this concentration is lower than is typically associated with "endogenous" post-mortem GHB concentrations, this paper proposes a potential microbial production of GHB with time.     

Barcelona 2002: law, ethics, and human rights. Using the law to improve access to treatments

The XIII International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa in July 2000 focused worldwide attention on the problem of accessing treatments in developing countries. In the interim, thanks to the work of activists - from demonstrations to court cases, and from acts of public courage by people living with HIV/AIDS to ongoing lobbying of politicians and trade negotiators - some very significant developments have occurred. But the reality is that the vast majority of people living with HIV/AIDS still lack access to affordable, quality medicines. This article, a summary of a paper presented at "Putting Third First: Vaccines, Access to Treatments and the Law," a satellite meeting held at Barcelona on 5 July 2002 and organized by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the AIDS Law Project, South Africa, and the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, India, explores three approaches for improving access. In the first part, Richard Elliott provides an overview of the state of the right to health as embodied in international human rights law; comments on the experience to date in litigating claims to the right to health; and identifies potential strategies activists can adopt to advance recognition of the right to health. In the second part, Sharan Parmar and Vivek Divan describe price-control and drug-financing mechanisms used by industrialized countries to increase the affordability of medicines; and discuss how some of these mechanisms could be adapted for use in developing countries. Finally, Jonathan Berger describes the use of litigation in the courts by the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa.     

Compulsory HIV testing after an occupational exposure

In December 2001, the Ontario legislature passed Bill 105, authorizing a Medical Officer of Health to order blood testing of a source person in the event that emergency service workers and "good Samaritans" (as well as other categories of people) may have been exposed to a communicable disease. Similar legislation (Bill C-217) is before a committee of the House of Commons. This article discusses the value of information about the health status of the source person, Bill C-217 and Bill 105, current public health guidelines, recent Canadian research, and the conclusions of Backgrounder prepared by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.     

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights hold hearing on access to treatment in Latin America and the Caribbean

In a historic development, non-governmental HIV/AIDS organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean presented a joint report on access to comprehensive care, including antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on 16 October 2002.     

UK Commission concludes international patent laws hinder access to medicines in developing countries

On 12 September 2002, the UK Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, an independent body established in May 2001 by the British government, released its report analyzing the impact of international agreements on patents. The report, Integrating Intellectual Property Rights and Developmental Policy, makes 55 recommendations "aimed at aligning [intellectual property] protection with the goal of reducing poverty".     

Namibia: refusal to enlist HIV-positive in army ruled discriminatory

On 10 May 2000, in N v Minister of Defence, the Labour Court in Windhoek delivered a mixed ruling on HIV-based discrimination in employment that could have significant positive implications for armies throughout the region of southern Africa.