The Ukrainian regional office of the EU-ACT project, funded by the European Union and managed by the FIIAPP, organised the Second Meeting of the Working Group of Forensic Drug Institutes in the Ukraine, as part of the project's initiative to improve the coordination and promote the integration of these forensic institutes in the country.
The event made it possible to make a start on bringing other laboratories into the initiative and to promote cooperation —until recently practically non-existent— between the different laboratories in the Ukraine. In addition, the meeting also served to learn of the situation and the technical level of the laboratories at first hand, especially in the field of drug analysis.
Among other issues, the specialists addressed possible changes in legislation to improve the procedures that allow New Psychoactive Substances (NSPs) to be included as banned substances in the Ukrainian law. Agreement was reached and the method decided on to organise the first "Interlaboratory Collaboration Exercise" this year that will give an insight into the resources and working methods of the different laboratories. Indeed this is also a necessary requirement to obtain ISO 17025 international certification for laboratories that want to go down that road.
During the meeting, the experts had the opportunity to visit the facilities and learn of its work protocols, technical resources, etc., and to establish a professional and personal relationship with the members of this institution.