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It has long been recognised that drugs of abuse can be detected in perspiration. However, prior to the development of the PharmChek® Sweat Patch, there wasn’t a convenient or consistent method for collecting sweat for analysis.

The PharmChek® Sweat Patch resembles a large plaster and is engineered as a collector for the non-volatile elements in sweat, including drugs of abuse. PharmChek® comprises an adhesive plastic film which secures an absorbent pad against the skin. This adhesive film is a semi-permeable membrane, permitting oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour to pass, thus allowing the skin to breathe normally. Larger molecules, such as drugs, are captured in the absorbent pad within the patch. Environmental contaminants cannot breach the adhesive barrier from the outside, ensuring the patch can be worn during usual activities.

How It's Made

Manufacturing Process The PharmChek® Sweat Patch is constructed with an outer layer of clear, polyurethane film, which adheres to the skin using a hypoallergenic adhesive. This film and adhesive are produced by 3M, employing the same surgical adhesive used in hospitals.

Beneath this transparent film lies the absorption pad, the part responsible for gathering sweat components. This pad is the sole section analysed by the laboratory for drug presence.

A release liner is situated between the adhesive and the absorbent pad, facilitating easy removal of the pad from the Sweat Patch after use.

Each PharmChek® Sweat Patch is marked with a unique identification number on the underside of the transparent film. This number is utilised to track the Sweat Patch through the chain of custody documentation.

PharmChek® is specifically designed to collect sweat components, including drugs of abuse. While air and water vapour can pass through the patch’s film, liquids, water, bacteria, drugs, and other external contaminants are prevented from entering the patch.

How It Works

The PharmChek® Sweat Patch functions solely by capturing drug metabolites and the original drug molecules in its absorbent pad for subsequent laboratory analysis, without administering any medications or chemicals into the body.

PharmChek® is capable of detecting substances such as cocaine, codeine, morphine, heroin (all opiates), amphetamine, methamphetamine, PCP, and marijuana. It identifies not just the drug metabolites but also the parent drugs themselves.

Offering continuous monitoring around the clock, PharmChek® maintains a record of any drugs consumed throughout the duration of its use. It is designed for extended wear and is constructed in a way that any attempts at removal, tampering, or adulteration are easily noticeable.

Both the application and removal of the patch are straightforward processes that do not require any special facilities

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