Checkyourdrink Ltd (CYD) was founded in 2014 by Katie Burrington in response to the growing problem of drink spiking and a concern shared by many parents: keeping their children safe.
Shop our productsAt the time, Katie’s husband, criminal lawyer Richard Burrington, was seeing an increasing number of drink spiking cases cross his desk. As awareness of the issue grew, so did concern about the risks faced by young people on nights out, at university, festivals and social events.
As a mother herself, Katie was determined to find a practical way to help people protect themselves. What started as a personal mission became the beginning of CYD.
Over the following four years, Katie worked alongside leading scientific and testing organisations to develop a simple, discreet and effective drink spiking indicator test that could be used by anyone.
From the very beginning, Katie’s sister, Amanda Friend, supported the business behind the scenes, sharing the same passion for helping people stay safe. In 2022, Amanda became fully involved in the company and today serves as Co-Owner and Director, leading the day-to-day operations of the business.
As sisters and parents, Katie and Amanda remain united by the same purpose that inspired CYD from the start: helping people make safer choices and raising awareness of the dangers of drink spiking.
Today, CYD products are used by individuals, bars, clubs, universities, event organisers, businesses and police forces around the world, helping to empower people with information when they need it most.
Why Our Work Matters
Drink spiking remains a serious and growing concern. Incidents have been linked to sexual assault, theft, physical harm and other crimes, affecting people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. More concerning still, reports suggest some individuals may spike drinks simply for amusement, placing innocent people at risk without regard for the mental and physical consequences of their victims. At CYD, we believe that awareness, education and practical safety tools all have a role to play in tackling this issue. Our mission is not only to provide products, but also to help create conversations, improve awareness and support, and widen efforts to reduce drink spiking.
“Many bars, nightclubs and student bodies have been looking for effective ways to protect their customers and members against drink spiking and have chosen to stock CYD as part of their efforts to fight back.”
Katie Burrington, Founder
“I firmly believe that drink spiking cannot be solved by any single product or initiative. Real progress comes from education, awareness, safer environments, protective products, clear reporting pathways and continued research. By working together across all sectors and all of these areas, we can reduce harm and empower people to make informed decisions about their own safety. At Checkyourdrink Ltd, our goal is to play a meaningful role in as many of these areas as possible.”
Amanda Friend, Director
The CYD indicator test was developed over a four-year period in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde and Clinical Trials Laboratory Services (CTLS).
The test was designed to provide an indication of the possible presence of Ketamine, GHB and certain related compounds commonly associated with drink spiking.
Throughout development, the technology underwent extensive validation and interference testing against a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to assess performance across real-world drinking environments.
In addition to the original validation work carried out by CTLS and the University of Strathclyde, CYD has undergone further independent efficacy testing by Lucideon. Along with further verifying the performance and consistency for Ketamine and GHB, this testing included Cocaine and Scopolamine and demonstrated positive responses on the Ketamine/Amine indicator patch. The results provide encouraging evidence that the technology may help indicate the presence of a wider range of amine-based substances commonly associated with drink tampering, while remaining specifically validated for Ketamine, Cocaine, Scopolamine and GHB-related compounds.
This ongoing commitment to independent testing and continuous improvement remains central to CYD’s mission of delivering reliable, evidence-based drink safety solutions.