Description:  Drug-related deaths continue to represent a significant and evolving portion of the potential tissue donor population. As patterns of illicit drug use shift toward fentanyl, polysubstance use, and changing routes of administration, donor screeners and medical directors are increasingly challenged to interpret toxicology findings and assess associated infectious disease risks. This presentation will review current trends in drug-related mortality in the United States, provide an overview of the major classes of abused drugs and their mechanisms of toxicity, and discuss the substances most commonly encountered in overdose-related deaths. Participants will learn the differences between hospital urine drug screening and forensic toxicology, along with practical approaches to interpreting toxicology reports in the context of donor evaluation. The session will also examine behavioral and infectious disease risks associated with illicit drug use and discuss how objective clinical findings should be integrated into donor eligibility decisions.

Target audience: This webinar is designed for tissue donor screeners, medical directors, donor eligibility specialists, quality and regulatory professionals, tissue bank clinicians, and others involved in donor evaluation and donor suitability determinations. It will also benefit professionals responsible for interpreting toxicology reports and assessing infectious disease risks as part of the donor eligibility process.