The International Association of Forensic Toxicology Consultants held its first annual conference on May 29, 2026, and we are pleased to share that the event was a success. The conference brought together forensic toxicology professionals, expert witnesses, attorneys, and others interested in the scientific and legal issues that arise in toxicology casework.
The conference focused on current challenges in forensic toxicology, including testing errors, alcohol interpretation, drug impairment evaluations, accreditation, cognitive bias, sweat patch testing, autobrewery syndrome, and the presentation of toxicology evidence in court.
Presentation recordings are now available to IAFTC members in the members-only section of the IAFTC website.
Members can access the recordings by logging into the IAFTC website and visiting:
https://iaftc.org/IAFTC-Conference-2026
Conference Presentations
Aaron Olson presented on Errors in Forensic Toxicology Testing: Patterns, Persistence, and the Case for Reform. His presentation discussed recurring problems in forensic toxicology testing, how errors can persist before they are identified, and why full discovery and transparency are necessary to evaluate the reliability of toxicology evidence.
Chad Snyder presented on Case of Defendant vs. Commonwealth of VA: Presumptuousness SFST and DRE Analysis. His presentation examined issues involving Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition Expert evaluations, with attention to how assumptions and interpretation errors can affect case outcomes.
Deandra Grant presented on Intoxicated Without Drinking: Legal Case Reports Involving Autobrewery Syndrome. Her presentation reviewed legal cases involving endogenous alcohol production and discussed how autobrewery syndrome may be evaluated and challenged in court.
Joshua Ott presented on DRE and the Drug Influence Evaluation. His presentation reviewed the Drug Recognition Expert protocol, the strengths and limitations of the drug influence evaluation, and how DRE findings are used in impaired driving investigations.
Sol Bobst presented on Sweat Patch Testing Reliability: Case Reports. Her presentation examined the reliability of sweat patch drug testing through case examples, including issues involving contamination, environmental exposure, and interpretation challenges.
Bethany Pridgen presented on Why Accreditation Does Not Mean Scientific Validity in Testing. Her presentation addressed the distinction between laboratory accreditation and scientific validity, including why compliance with accreditation standards does not automatically mean that a test method or result is scientifically reliable.
Matthew E. Malhiot presented on Breath Alcohol Testing in the 50 States. His presentation provided a comparative look at breath alcohol testing practices across the country, including differences in regulations, instrumentation, and legal standards.
Andy Ewens presented on Bias Caused by How Drug and Alcohol Test Results Are Reported. His presentation discussed how the reporting and presentation of drug and alcohol test results can affect interpretation and potentially influence legal decision-making.
Bethany Pridgen also presented on How Cognitive Bias Can Affect the Quality and Reliability of Method Validation in Forensic Testing. This presentation explored how expectations, assumptions, and contextual information can influence method validation and scientific decision-making in forensic laboratories.
Andy Ewens also presented on Differentiating Medical and Psychological Causes from Drug-Induced Impairment: Case Reports. This presentation examined case examples involving medical and psychological conditions that may mimic drug-induced impairment and emphasized the importance of considering alternative explanations.
How Members Can Access the Recordings
IAFTC members can access the available presentation recordings by logging into the IAFTC website and visiting the members-only conference page:
https://iaftc.org/IAFTC-Conference-2026
After logging in, members will be able to view the approved conference recordings that have been posted to the page.
Thank you to all of the presenters, attendees, and IAFTC members who helped make the first annual conference a success. We look forward to continuing to build this event as a valuable resource for forensic toxicology professionals.
