Agilent Technologies equipment to be used for World Cup drug tests

Agilent Technologies is to see its range of gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) instruments used in anti-doping measures during the upcoming World Cup.

The South African Doping Control Laboratory has selected Agilent as the primary provider of gas-phase testing instruments at the tournament, with five GC/MS devices and an Agilent 7000 Series Triple Quadrupole GC/MS system set to be provided.

It states that the precision of analysis offered by its MS instruments make them ideally suited to an application where there is “no room for error”.

Agilent has been supplying drug testing equipment for sporting events since the 1972 Olympics, the first Games in which testing was required.

Mike McMullen, president of Agilent’s chemical analysis unit, said: “We are honoured that the South African Doping Control Laboratory selected Agilent to help ensure a level playing field and fair competition at the 2010 World Cup.”

Last month, Agilent launched a new system for high-throughput screening of in vitro ADME assays, which it claims will help accelerate the process of drug discovery.