The rapid rise in the prevalence of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs has contributed significantly to an increase in overdose death rates in North America.  Laboratories, healthcare providers, and government agencies struggle to effectively detect and reduce negative outcomes associated with fentanyl use in the absence of accurate data on prevalence and use. 

“Keeping Up with Fentanyl: Failure to Do So Is Not an Option” was published in the July 2018 issue of The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine.  This manuscript surveys the current landscape of available laboratory testing for detection of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs.  Additionally, point-of-care testing of fentanyl and its analogs for the treatment of substance abuse disorder is discussed.