ACFT History
Alberta Centre For Toxicology
History
The Alberta Centre For Toxicology (ACFT) was originally established in 1972 as the clinical toxicology laboratory for the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. Initially, the laboratory provided clinical drug testing and therapeutic drug monitoring services for the Foothills Hospital, in addition to toxicology testing for the Alberta Coroner/Medical Examiner.
A major achievement for the laboratory was being designated as the drug testing facility for the 15th Olympic Winter Games held in Calgary, Alberta in 1988. In 1989, the laboratory was invited to participate in the steroid testing program for the US National Football League. Subsequently, the laboratory added employment-related drug testing to its test menu and was accredited by the College of American Pathologists Forensic Drug Testing Program.
In 1997, the laboratory took a new course and entered the field of environmental toxicology. At this time it was relocated to the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine, Heritage Medical Research Building and became the Centre for Toxicology, a Public Health Laboratory, jointly sponsored by Alberta Health and Wellness' Surveillance and Environmental Health branch, the Calgary Regional Health Authority, and the University of Calgary. The laboratory became responsible for the chemical testing of rural drinking water in 2001 and providing analytical support for environmental health surveys conducted in Alberta communities. It also became the drug testing facility for the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) Opioid Dependency Program in 2003.
The ACFT has steadily expanded its mandate to also include water quality testing for small distributed systems, the Alberta Biomonitoring Program, Beach monitoring for cyanobacteria, Cytotoxicity testing, Fish mercury testing, Radon testing, and collaborations with researchers at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta.
