President's Message

Hello all and welcome to the beginning of another year in which I hope there will be continued success with your careers and personal lives. As I write the first of my four ToxTalk President messages, it has already become March and several of us are still scrambling to recover from the workload of the holiday season. I’m sure that I don’t have to remind all of you that health and family should remain the first priority. Although the business of Forensic Toxicology can be a very busy one, a particular voice always seems to remind me, that the work will be there tomorrow, whereas our friends and family may not. Please put it all in perspective because the demands of ‘faster, better, cheaper’ will always be there.

Involvement

As I grow older, I believe with age comes maturity and sometimes complacency. Yes, I am growing older and hopefully more mature; but complacent is something I didn’t sign up for! When I first began my career in the field, research, presenting, and publishing were always on the forefront of my mind. My intent was to get established and get noticed. However, over the years, I find myself struggling to find the time to get back to the research that I so thoroughly enjoyed and return to the stage or the platform presentation arena. I encourage ALL members to re-engage yourself with the research or the investigative aspect of your job and present your worthwhile information at an annual meeting. For the younger generation, I say keep it going; your enthusiasm and commitment to the field is unparalleled.

The ‘Commission’

In February, the Friday before the Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) convened in Washington, D.C., the White House released a notice regarding the formation of a National Commission on Forensic Science in response to the 2009 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommendations. The NAS report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward was issued four years ago. Since then, there has been activity by the White House Subcommittee on Forensic Science Interagency Working Groups (IWGs) as well as draft legislation introduced in Congress to advance Forensic Science in the United States. However, this announcement came as a surprise to all. The Commission, co-chaired by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be comprised of approximately thirty (30) members with varying experience who will be selected by the Attorney General in consultation with NIST. The Notice of Establishment, which provides information on applying for Commission membership, can be found in the February 22, 2013 Federal Register, Vol. 78, No.36, Pages 12355 and 12356. From the many presentations I heard during my attendance at the AAFS meeting, the philosophy of why this Commission was formed is to strengthen Forensic Science in the United States and to create a strong and effective partnership between NIST and the forensic science community. NIST is the nation’s measurement laboratory responsible for ‘measurement science’ and will be responsible for evaluation of technology and methods as well as coordination of ‘Guidance Groups’, the next version of the current Scientific Working Groups (SWGs). Many viewed this as a step to have the science of forensic science overseen by an agency that is not tied to law enforcement. NIST indicated that they will begin the process by creating a framework to start from and that we, as practitioners, should view this as a ‘beginning’ and not an ‘end’. NIST indicated that they will meet and work with each SWG chair. Lastly, NIST indicated that they would solicit public comment and consider each submitted comment in a future hosted workshop. The Commission will be required to work under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA-1972), which contains requirements for open meetings and transparent processes. Some AAFS presenters referred to all of this as a “peer approach” effort. The entire process should be viewed as a mutual collaboration between DOJ, NIST and the community.

So, what does all of this mean to you as a SOFT member? Well, just the word ‘Commission’ can translate to oversight. And with responsible oversight, must come financial commitment. The Federal Register states that the Commission will recommend strategies for enhancing quality assurance in forensic science units. The areas listed in which the Commission is to work will require long-term funding for implementation. The mechanism to provide long-term support for forensic science is congressional legislation. The White House announcement and the proposed organizational structure are remarkably similar to Senator Patrick Leahy’s Bill and it is anticipated that his revised bill will be reintroduced into the Senate in the very near future. SOFT remains an active member in the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO) with Laurel Farrell representing our best interests. CFSO works very hard to influence public policy to the benefit of the forensic science community and will be working with members of Congress on all proposed legislation. SWGTOX will continue to move forward and work towards providing standards for the practice of Forensic Toxicology. With the federal government becoming more involved in our science, I would highly encourage the SOFT membership to continue improving and moving forward in both individual certification as well as laboratory accreditation. But to put it simply, we all need to hold tight, as there will be plenty more to come as the country determines how best to provide coordination and adequate financial support for forensic science in the United States!

SOFT Activity

At the Academy meeting, the Board of Directors (BOD) held an interim meeting where the annual SOFT budget was determined. I am happy to report the membership dues, including the annual subscription to Journal of Toxicology (JAT), will remain at $60. Reminder to all that access to the JAT website can be made through the members’ only section of www.SOFT-tox.org. A BOD decision was made for SOFT to continue down the path of being ‘Green’ and provide the 2013 membership directory on-line in the members’ only section rather than mass produce and endure the costly bulk mailing. This directory will be updated twice a year and will always be available to download onto each member’s desktop.

There were several committee chair changes. I am pleased to announce that Amy Miles will chair the Drugs and Driving committee, Erin Spargo will oversee the Awards committee, Dimitri Gerostamoulos will chair the Publications committee, and Suman Rana is beginning the task of assembling the newly implemented Designer Drugs committee.

Annual Meeting

Bruce Goldberger and the 2013 Orlando planning meeting have been working extremely hard in making the annual meeting at the Buena Vista Hotel in Disneyworld very memorable! Twelve (12) workshops, including eight (8) half-day and four (4) full-day workshops with very diverse subject matter have been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. The President’s reception will consist of a full evening that includes a beautiful reception at the hotel concluding with attendance to a unique Cirque performance for the SOFT organization. The night will definitely be one to remember. The scientific sessions will be filled with informative platform presentations and proudly presented posters. I encourage all members, both new and experienced, to prepare a presentation and take advantage of this opportunity to connect with the SOFT community and our exciting future. I am thoroughly looking forward to this event and hope to see you all there with your Mickey ears on!

Dan Anderson
SOFT President 2013