Psychemedics Announces Addition of FDA-Cleared Benzodiazepines Hair Test

ACTON, Mass., Sept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Psychemedics Corporation (NASDAQ:PMD), hair testing pioneer and global leader for over thirty years, announced the launch of its FDA-Cleared Benzodiazepines hair test.  The test detects numerous Benzodiazepines, including Xanax®, Valium®, and Ativan®, and is available as a stand-alone test or as an option on Psychemedics' standard drug panels.

The abuse of prescription Benzodiazepines has grown at an alarming rate in the United States, contributing to thousands of emergency room visits and overdose deaths each year. It is important to note that Benzodiazepines can prove deadly when combined with other depressants, including alcohol.  This significantly increases the danger of Benzodiazepine abuse.

Psychemedics' non-invasive testing procedure uses a small sample of hair that is easily collected and shipped to Psychemedics' College of American Pathologists (CAP) and ISO-IEC 17025:2005 certified laboratory.  Unlike urinalysis or oral fluid testing which typically detects drug use for only the previous one to three days, Psychemedics hair analysis can detect use over the previous few months.

Advancing The Science of Hair Testing

Psychemedics is the first hair testing laboratory to have its test for Benzodiazepines cleared by the FDA. Continued advancement in the science of hair testing is critical to Psychemedics, and the development of this new test provides the market with a unique and reliable test that identifies and measures the use of Benzodiazepines over a period of time.  The Benzodiazepines test follows Psychemedics' recent announcement of the addition of the first hair test for synthetic cannabinoids for the workplace.

Raymond C. Kubacki, Chairman and CEO stated: "Sadly, the abuse of prescription drugs is now rampant in the United States.  We are extremely concerned about this problem, and are doing everything in our power to address it.  Today, we are pleased to establish another first: the first hair testing laboratory to have its Benzodiazepines test cleared by the FDA.  As the scientific leader in drug testing, we at Psychemedics continue to advance the science and use our top flight scientific team and R&D resources to develop new tests that will deter people from abusing prescription drugs." 

About Psychemedics Corporation

Psychemedics Corporation is the world's largest provider of hair testing for drugs of abuse and has been successfully operating for over 30 years. Thousands of corporations rely on the patented Psychemedics drug testing services. Psychemedics' clients include over 10% of the Fortune 500, some of the largest police departments in America, Federal Reserve Banks, and schools.

For more information, visit the Psychemedics Corporation website at www.psychemedics.com.

Contact: 
Raymond C. Kubacki 
Chairman & CEO 
(978) 206-8220

Cautionary Statement for purposes of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: From time to time, information provided by Psychemedics may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements contained in this release that are not historical facts (including but not limited to statements concerning technological changes, technological advantages, regulatory matters, implementation of new testing procedures and processes, research and development, future business and marketing strategies) may be "forward looking" statements. Actual results may differ from those stated in any forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include but are not limited to risks associated with implementation of new testing procedures and methodologies including training, personnel changes, changes in supplier relationships, customer contract provisions and customer relationships, government regulation, including but not limited to FDA regulations, competition and general economic conditions and other factors disclosed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Psychemedics Corporation