The National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) program that systematically collects drug chemistry analysis results, as well as other related information, from cases analyzed by state, local and federal forensic laboratories. These laboratories analyze substances secured in law enforcement operations across the country. NFLIS offers a valuable resource for monitoring illegal drug abuse and trafficking, including the diversion of legally manufactured pharmaceutical drugs into illegal markets. NFLIS data are used to support drug regulatory and scheduling efforts as well as to inform drug policy and drug enforcement initiatives both nationally and in local communities. Data in the NFLIS database consists of case and item/exhibit level information.
Since its inception in September 1997, NFLIS has become an operational information system that includes data from forensic laboratories that conduct analyses of about 97% of the nation's approximate 1.5 million annual drug cases. As of March 2015, state and local forensic laboratory systems representing a total of 278 (107 local and 171 state) individual labs were participating in NFLIS. Of these, 271 individual laboratories (102 local and 169 state) were regularly reporting data to NFLIS; the remaining participating labs are in the process of initiating data reporting.
DEA continues to recruit state and local forensic laboratories, while also integrating federal forensic laboratories into the system. Currently, all DEA laboratories are included in the NFLIS program. DEA's goal for NFLIS is to have all state, local and federal laboratories that regularly perform drug chemistry analyses participate and report to the program.