QuidelOrtho Corporation has released a new episode of its Science Bytes podcast examining the changing drug overdose landscape and the implications for laboratory and emergency department professionals. The episode discusses a third consecutive year of declining U.S. overdose deaths in 2025, while highlighting persistent threats from counterfeit medications, with millions of fentanyl-laced pills seized annually. It also addresses the rise of polysubstance use and emerging synthetic opioids like nitazenes, which are potent and often undetectable in routine screening. The discussion is based on new guidance from the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine that emphasizes collaboration between laboratories and emergency departments to improve toxicology testing and interpretation.
Quidel CorporationPodcast discusses toxicology testing trends, but no direct impact on QuidelOrtho's business is stated.