CTEH®’s pharmacology services are under the direction of Susan Shelnutt, Ph.D. Dr. Shelnutt is a pharmacologist, toxicologist, and licensed pharmacist with over 20 years of experience. She has conducted pharmacokinetic analyses of drugs and chemicals, and comprehensive evaluations of the effects and adverse effects of drugs and chemicals. Dr. Shelnutt has extensive experience assessing the human toxicity of drugs and chemicals, and drug interactions and adverse reactions. She has additional experience in pharmacokinetic analysis. Levels of drugs or chemicals in blood and/or urine are frequently key pieces of information in accidents, worker exposure issues, and in exposures to environmental chemicals. Proper evaluation and interpretation of these levels is essential. Multiple drugs or chemicals (including alcohol) are commonly found in blood samples taken from individuals, particularly after involvement in an accident. These compounds often have additive and supra-additive (synergistic) effects on the body. To evaluate these and other complex pharmacological situations, we use scientifically sound pharmacokinetic modeling of compounds at earlier points in time (at, for example, the time of an accident). We then conduct a pharmacological evaluation, using peer-reviewed medically accepted information sources, to provide an assessment of the compounds’ effects on the individual over time.
