Swiss researchers find way to detect date-rape drug in urine for up to 72 hours

Swiss researchers have discovered a method to detect the date-rape drug GHB in urine for up to 72 hours following ingestion, according to a statement from the University of Zurich. This discovery could prove valuable in sexual assault investigations, as GHB is often slipped into victims' drinks and quickly leaves the body, making it difficult to test for within a short time frame.

The usual detection windows for GHB in blood and urine are six and 12 hours, respectively. However, a team led by Andrea Steuer at the university's Institute of Forensic Medicine found that a compound called GHB-pentose, a combination of GHB and the sugar ribose, remains detectable in urine for longer periods. The study analyzed 2,414 anonymous urine samples from genuine forensic cases and identified 14 samples where GHB-pentose was detected despite GHB levels being below the test threshold.

Eight of these 14 cases involved suspected criminal activities, including two robberies and one alleged sexual assault. While the researchers believe this discovery is promising, they caution that it is still too early to determine the method's diagnostic reliability or maximum detection period in individual cases.