SCIENTISTS SEEK FUNDING TO IMPROVE DETECTION SYSTEM OF DATE-RAPE DRUG

UCD scientists who have developed a system of detecting Rohypnol, the
so-called date-rape drug, are seeking funds to develop it as a simple
dipstick test for use by the public and police forces.

Dr Alan Shattock, head of the college's diagnostics group in the
biotechnology department, said their sensitive testing system will detect
tiny amounts of the drug up to a week after it has been administered.

Rohypnol, also known as roofies, is a powerful sedative that is abused by
drug addicts but has become notorious throughout the world because of its
use by rapists.

Women's drinks are 'spiked' with small quantities of the drug by the rapist.
They don't remember what has happened to them and are unaware they have been
drugged as it has no taste or smell.

Shattock's team developed the test after a year's research as part of a
government anti-drugs science and technology programme.

The Government wanted a test that would detect Rohypnol in drug addicts who
are on methadone maintenance projects in drug treatment centres. Its abuse
is common with addicts because of the difficulty in detecting it.

"Rohypnol is broken down very quickly in the body. All the previous tests
aimed at detecting just the actual drug. Our test detects the drug and the
breakdown products that are specific to Rohypnol.

"Previous tests could only detect the drug for a few days. Our test has
detected it a couple of weeks afterwards in situations where it is over-used
by drug addicts.

"It is now a laboratory test. It is not in a dipstick version yet. If it is
to be used by the public it has to be in a simple form like that."

If the discovery is developed, a simple dipstick would allow women to detect
tampering with their drinks. It would also detect Rohypnol in urine samples
of women who suspect they were raped under its influence.

"One should even debate whether this drug should be on sale. There are many
other benzodiazepiones which are not as potent. It is banned in some
countries.

"You would be automatically jailed if you were found with it in America
because of this terrible date-rape effect."

He said suggestions that the drug is reformulated to turn drinks blue would
not work in darker alcohol products. "There are also suggestions of making
it effervescent but that wouldn't work either."

To develop the test to the stage of a dipstick test would take about 18
months and IEP100,000, half of which would come from grants, Shattock said.

"What I would like to do is to develop it with a company to a point where it
could be used as a commercial test."

Checked-by: Don Beck