History
Founded in 1978, Alere Toxicology Services, Inc. was initially established as Laboratory Specialists, Inc. (LSI) in Louisiana. Its original mission was to offer exotic testing that no other labs performed, including clinical work-ups assisting doctors in diagnosing uncommon illnesses, forensic work for the coroner’s office, and therapeutic drug monitoring.
As a relatively young company, Alere recognized a unique necessity in the country’s war on drugs. In the 1980s, all business sectors began looking to laboratory testing as a way to minimize the risks associated with employed drug users causing accidents, stealing, using extensive amounts of sick leave and health benefits, and abandoning jobs all together. Observing the emergent need for accurate and timely drug testing services, Alere’s management decided to specialize solely in testing for substances of abuse. Later in 1989, Alere was among the first labs in the country to be certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institute on Drug Abuse (now know as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA) to provide testing under federal regulations, a status that it maintains to this day at both of its laboratories.
While remaining focused on quality analysis and service, Alere has grown organically and through strategic acquisitions that provided new service offerings, ventured into new industries, and increased our market share and the regions in which we provide services. Through the years, we have acquired the following laboratories and point of collection testing device distributors.
- 1994 – National Drug Assessment Corporation
- 1996 – National Psychopharmacology Laboratory
- 1997 – Pathology Laboratories Limited
- 1997 – Accu-Path Medical Laboratory
- 1998 – Harrison Labs
- 1998 – Toxworx
- 2002 – Universal Toxicology Laboratories (UTL)
- 2003 – Rapid Drug Testing Services
- 2003 – Rimstar International
- 2004 – Martin Diagnostics International, Inc.
- 2004 – Certain assets of PharmChem, Inc.
- 2006 – Express Analytical Laboratories
- 2007 – Meriter Laboratories
- 2008 – Accu-chem Laboratories
In late 2005, Alere acquired Scientific Toxicology Laboratories, Inc. (STL) of Richmond, VA, thus obtaining the Eastern region and other portion of the Western region of the AOUSC contract. Founded in 1992, nearly all of the Richmond laboratory’s testing is in the criminal justice industry as the primary contracting laboratory for many state, county, and city probation and parole systems and correctional departments, methadone clinics, and treatment centers. This acquisition provided operational redundancies for both laboratories and expanded our service offering to include oral fluid testing. We have further diversified the industries we serve to include criminal justice and rehab and recovery centers.
Earlier this year, Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (NYSE: IMA) acquired our division from Kroll Inc. IMA is at the forefront of the convergence between medical diagnostic testing and health management. IMA is a major global developer, manufacturer and marketer of advanced, pioneering professional and consumer medical diagnostic products, as well as a leader in specialized health management services including wellness, disease management, oncology and women and children’s health. The substance abuse testing laboratories are positioned within the Alere Health Services division of Inverness. Alere leverages technology to improve healthcare one person at a time. Even though every healthcare system is organized differently, each one struggles with the same challenge – how to connect people with information. Alere responds to that challenge by opening the flow of data across a healthcare system and providing the insight to convert that data into action. That means getting the diagnosis right, selecting the least invasive interventions, and allowing care to continue away from the hospital. By actively connecting diagnostics and health management solutions, Alere gives medical professionals and consumers the tools they need to make more informed healthcare choices. With professional and consumer offerings in over 100 disease categories, Alere delivers the widest range of services and solutions across the widest range of environments – all around the world.
Currently, Alere’s two laboratories supply services nationwide and remain focused on our company’s foundation – quality analysis to meet every client’s unique needs.
