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Open research questions in Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis

277 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,813 Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Clinical cutoff points for the Chemsex Inventory are undefined. There is a need for a reliable and sensitive tool for early detection of mental-health risks related to chemsex. The study aims to address this gap by determining optimal CSI cutoff points.

    Determination of the Optimal Cutoff Point for the ChemSex Inventory (CSI) to Assess Chemsex-Related Mental Health Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men · 2026 · DOI

  • Since the pharmacology of α-PVP remains scarcely studied, we aimed to evaluate the acute pharmacological effects and its abuse potential in humans after intranasal administration.

    Acute pharmacological effects of α-PVP in humans: a naturalistic observational study · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the long-term impacts of tiletamine and its combined use with other substances remain poorly understood.

    Severe tremors induced by tiletamine e-cigarette and alcohol use: a case report · 2025 · DOI

  • The unique interplay between communal practice and individual preservation creates a cyclical effect of using khat to supplement energy to farm khat and then sell or stimulate further work on their farm.

    From traditional to transactional: exploration of khat use in Ethiopia through an interpretative phenomenological analysis · 2024 · DOI

  • As a class of potential opioid analgesic agents whose development was discontinued in the 1960s due to their high potential for abuse, very little is known about their metabolism and physiologic disposition.

    Metabolic characterization of the new benzimidazole synthetic opioids - nitazenes · 2024 · DOI

  • Furthermore, the effects of some potential factors like stressful life events, knowledge about and attitude toward the effects of khat have been given little attention and are not well understood.

    Individual and community-level factors associated with khat (Catha edulis) use among women of reproductive age in Halaba zone, South Ethiopia: a multilevel mixed effect analysis · 2024 · DOI

  • However, data is lacking on the effects of khat chewing during pregnancy on fetal growth status and newborn size at birth.

    The effect of possible mediators on the association between chewing khat during pregnancy and fetal growth and newborn size at birth in Eastern Ethiopia · 2024 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the analysis of ADB-BUTINACA in post-mortem samples. The study highlights the challenge of assessing the toxicological significance of ADB-BUTINACA in mixed intoxications.

    Synthetic cannabinoids in human post-mortem samples – ADB-BUTINACA and metabolites in three fatalities · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the structure-activity relationship of JWH-018 derivatives. The study aims to address this gap by evaluating the in vivo pharmacological effects of these compounds.

    In vivo evaluation of synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 derivatives as potential new psychoactive substances · 2026 · DOI

  • There are no data on the pharmacological effects of N-cyclohexyl methylone and N-cyclohexyl butylone. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the pharmacological effects of these compounds.

    Locomotor and discriminative stimulus effects of N-cyclohexyl butylone and N-cyclohexyl methylone · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for effective treatments for cocaine-associated cardiac arrest. The use of IV lipid emulsion therapy may fill this gap.

    Clinical Application of Intravenous Lipid Emulsion Therapy in Cocaine-associated Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of knowledge about the metabolic fate and urinary detectability of novel fluoroprolintane psychostimulants. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the metabolism and detectability of three novel fluoroprolintane psychostimulants.

    Metabolic fate and detectability of three novel fluoroprolintane psychostimulants: in vitro and in vivo characterization by hyphenated mass spectrometry · 2026 · DOI

  • Current methods for analyzing nicotine have limitations, such as matrix interference and variability in tobacco products. There is a need for advanced analytical techniques like LC-MS/MS and GC-MS for improving nicotine analysis. Portable and rapid detection systems are needed for on-site nicotine detection.

    Evaluation and Method Validation of Common Psychoactive Substances: Current Issues and Future Directions (Nicotine) · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of mixed stimulant-opioid exposure and its complex clinical presentations. The case report highlights the need for clinicians to consider polysubstance toxicity in patients with suspected cocaine use and altered mental status.

    Survival Following a Fentanyl-Related Mass Casualty Event: A Case Report · 2026 · DOI

  • 9 151 An important limitation of this case is that confirmatory toxicologic testing beyond standard 152 hospital urine drug screening was not available.

    Survival Following a Fentanyl-Related Mass Casualty Event: A Case Report · 2026 · DOI

  • The small number of detected cases, all law-enforcement-driven, suggests a significant underestimation of the true burden. The inconsistent application of urinary drug screening and CT imaging, alongside incomplete anamnesis, highlights an urgent need for standardized clinical protocols.

    Between borders and substances: Body packer cases among refugees in Van, Türkiye · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies can use the validated instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment programs for methamphetamine addiction. Future studies can also explore the use of the instrument in other populations, such as outpatient settings.

    Adaptación y validación del Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ-B) en población mexicana consumidora de metanfetamina de centros residenciales · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for a validated instrument to assess methamphetamine craving in a Mexican population. The study aims to fill this gap by adapting and validating the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief.

    Adaptación y validación del Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ-B) en población mexicana consumidora de metanfetamina de centros residenciales · 2026 · DOI

  • The study is limited by its non-systematic literature search, which may have excluded relevant works not indexed in the consulted databases. The study's qualitative approach does not allow for a quantitative evaluation of the quality or impact of the included studies. The evidence available is mostly from European contexts or countries with greater capacity for monitoring and scientific publication, which may introduce a geographic bias in the interpretation of the results.

    El impacto del modelo prohibicionista en el caso de la 3-metilmetcatinona: revisión narrativa crítica · 2026 · DOI

  • The international drug control regime has shown clear limitations in addressing the emergence of New Psychoactive Substances. The prohibitionist model has been criticized for generating conceptual confusion in the understanding of the phenomenon of drugs and their public policies.

    El impacto del modelo prohibicionista en el caso de la 3-metilmetcatinona: revisión narrativa crítica · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faces challenges in understanding the pharmacological and toxicological characteristics of 4,4′-DMAR. The research must address the limited clinical and preclinical investigations of 4,4′-DMAR's cardiorespiratory toxicity.

    4,4′-DMAR in-vivo acute cardiotoxicity: differences between (±)cis-4,4′-DMAR and its coadministration with the (±)trans-4,4′-DMAR isomer · 2026 · DOI

  • Clinical and preclinical investigations of 4,4′-DMAR's cardiorespiratory toxicity remain limited. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the cardiorespiratory effects of (±)cis-4,4′-DMAR administration.

    4,4′-DMAR in-vivo acute cardiotoxicity: differences between (±)cis-4,4′-DMAR and its coadministration with the (±)trans-4,4′-DMAR isomer · 2026 · DOI

  • The time for enzyme recovery was different when mirtazapine and tramadol were used as substrates. There is a need to investigate CYP2D6 inhibition by MDMA using a well-known probe.

    MDMA-induced CYP2D6 inhibition: concentration-dependent variability using dextromethorphan as a probe · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of the predictors of reversibility of amphetamine-type stimulant-induced cardiomyopathy. There is a need for standardized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the condition.

    Amphetamine-type Stimulant-induced Cardiomyopathy with Reversible Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Case Report · 2026 · DOI

  • The study only evaluated the effects of α-PiHP and its derivatives in male Swiss CD-1 mice. The sample size was limited, with 4 animals withdrawn from the experiments due to initial preference for one of the compartments. The study did not investigate the long-term adverse effects of the compounds. The molecular docking studies were limited to the hDAT transporter.

    Structure–activity relationship of synthetic cathinones: integrated in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies of α-PiHP analogues · 2026 · DOI

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277 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,813 Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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