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Forensic Toxicology Subcommittee

OSAC Forensic Toxicology SC icon only

The Forensic Toxicology Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the analysis of biological samples for alcohol, drugs, or poisons, and the interpretation of these results.  

Officers Members | Standards | Other Work Products

 

Officers

Robert Johnson, Subcommittee Chair, Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office

Rebecca Wagner, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Virginia Department of Forensic Science

Madeleine Swortwood, Subcommittee Executive Secretary, Sam Houston State University

Members

Dan Anderson, NMS Labs

Amanda Black, Washington State Patrol (Quality Task Group Chair)

Alanna De Korompay, San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office

Lisa Fondren, Fondren Forensics

Megan Grabenauer, RTI International

Gregory Haber, National Institute of Standards and Technology (Statistics Task Group representative)

Hilary Hamnet, University of Lincoln, UK; Affiliate (Human Factors Task Group affiliate)

Curt Harper, Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences

Chris Heartsill, Society of Forensic Toxicologists

Matthew Juhascik, Montgomery County Coroner's Office/Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory

Scott Larson, Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR)

Dani Mata, Orange County Crime Laboratory

Madeline Montgomery, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Sue Pearring, San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

Christopher Plourd, State of California (Legal Task Group representative)

Sara Schreiber, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner

Karen Scott, Arcadia University

Pate Skene, University of Colorado (Human Factors Task Group Acting Chair)

Samantha Tolliver, DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

Samera Zavaro, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory

Forensic Toxicology Affiliate List

Standards

On the OSAC Registry

OSAC Registry Ribbon
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 017, Standard Practices for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology. 2018. 1st. Ed. (added June 18, 2019).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology. 2019. 1st. Ed. (added July 7, 2020).
  • ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 037, Guidelines for Opinions and Testimony in Forensic Toxicology. 2019. 1st. Ed. (added November 5, 2019).​​​​
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 053, Standard for Report Content in Forensic Toxicology. 2020. 1st. Ed. (added March 2, 2021).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 054, Standard for a Quality Control Program in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories. 2021. 1st. Ed. (added September 6, 2022).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 098, Standard for Mass Spectral Analysis in Forensic Toxicology. 2023. 1st. Ed. (added November 7, 2023).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 113, Standard for Identification Criteria in Forensic Toxicology. 2023. 1st. Ed. (added November 7, 2023).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 119, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Blood in Medicolegal Death Investigations. 2021. 1st. Ed. (added September 6, 2022).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 120, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Blood in Impaired Driving Investigations. 2021. 1st. Ed. (added September 6, 2022).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 121, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Urine in Drug-Facilitated Crime Investigations. 2021. 1st. Ed.​​​ (added May 3, 2022).
  • ANSI/ASB Standard 152, Standard for Minimum Content Requirements of Forensic Toxicology Procedures. 2021. 1st. Ed. (added September 6, 2022).
  • ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 156, Best Practices for Specimen Collection and Preservation for Forensic Toxicology 2023. 1st. Ed. (added February 6, 2024).

Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO) and Eligible for the OSAC Registry

  • ANSI/ASB Standard 153, Standard Practices for Proficiency Testing for Forensic Toxicology Laboratories and Breath Alcohol Programs. 2023. 1st Ed. 

At an SDO for Further Development & Publication

  • OSAC 2020-S-0003, Guidelines for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology.
    • NOTE: This OSAC Proposed Standard was added to the Registry in may 2022. The Forensic Toxicology Subcommittee requested it be removed from the Registry (effective October 2023) due to the pending publication of ASB BPR 122.
  • OSAC 2021-N-0026, Standard for Education and Training of Forensic Toxicology Personnel.
    • NOTE: This OSAC Proposed Standard will not be placed on the Registry per subcommittee request. 
  • OSAC 2021-S-0004, Standard for Estimation of Measurement Uncertainty of Quantitative Measurements in Forensic Toxicology.
    • NOTE: This OSAC Proposed Standard will not be placed on the Registry per subcommittee request. 
  • Standard for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology (2nd edition).
  • Standard for Breath Alcohol Instrument Specifications.
  • Standard for Breath Alcohol Measuring Instrument Calibration.

Under Development

  • Standard Method for Blood Ethanol Identification and Quantitation in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories.
  • Standard for the Identification and Quantification of Carboxyhemoglobin.
  • Standard for Quality Assurance Management Systems in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories.
  • Standard for Breath Alcohol Subject Testing. 
  • Human Factors in Forensic Toxicology.

Other Work Products

Research & Development Needs

Standards Development Maps

Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References

These documents may contain information to help forensic scientists, judges, lawyers, researchers, and other readers better understand the nature, scope, and foundations of the individual disciplines as currently practiced. The identification of these documents does not represent an endorsement by OSAC or NIST. Only standards that are posted on the OSAC Registry and Technical Guidance documents, are endorsed by OSAC. The referenced documents may be subject to copyright. Note: Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee do not necessarily represent the position of OSAC or NIST.

Created June 27, 2014, Updated February 6, 2024