8-K

                                    FORM 8-K


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 27, 2003



                             MEDTOX SCIENTIFIC, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Delaware
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


1-11394                                                             95-3863205
(Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)


402 West County Road D
St. Paul, Minnesota                                                     55112
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)


                                 (651) 636-7466
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)









Item 5.           Other Events

         On January 27, 2003, the Company announced preliminary unaudited
results for year-end 2002, as described in the press release attached as Exhibit
99.1.







                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                               MEDTOX Scientific, Inc.




Date:  January 27, 2003                        By:     /s/ Richard J. Braun
                                                       -------------------------
                                               Name:   Richard J. Braun
                                               Title:  Chief Executive Officer

EX-99

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1
DATE: January 27, 2003

FROM:
MEDTOX Scientific, Inc.
402 West County Road D
St. Paul, MN  55112
Contact:  Stephen Anderson (877) 715-7236

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

        MEDTOX SCIENTIFIC REPORTS PRELIMINARY UNAUDITED RESULTS FOR 2002
                   FINAL RESULTS TO BE RELEASED MARCH 6, 2003

ST. PAUL, January 27, 2003 - MEDTOX Scientific, Inc. (AMEX: TOX), announced that
it will  release  final  results  for  fiscal  2002 on March 6,  2003.  Based on
preliminary  data, the Company  expects annual revenue between $51.9 million and
$52.1  million,   compared  to  $49.1  million  for  fiscal  2001.  The  Company
anticipates net income,  including a one-time tax benefit, in the range of $2.46
to $2.49 per share,  compared to diluted  earnings per share of $0.54 for fiscal
2001.  For the three month period ended  December  31,  2002,  MEDTOX  estimates
revenue to range  between  $12.0  million and $12.2  million,  compared to $12.3
million in the fourth quarter of 2001.  The Company  expects to record a pre-tax
net loss of $0.06 to $0.07 per share for the quarter,  compared to net income of
$0.06 per share in the prior-year period.

"We are proud of our  performance  in 2002.  Our results  reflect the  continued
challenging  employment environment and our strategic investments to improve our
positions within our markets," said Dick Braun,  MEDTOX chief executive officer.
"Despite  operating  within   historically  poor  labor  markets,  we  grew  our
businesses, generated a profit, and positioned ourselves well for the future."

"Since over 60% of our revenue is related to hiring and employment  levels,  our
recent operating  results reveal the impact of two consecutive years of negative
job growth in the U.S.  economy.  Our performance in the face of these declining
employment  figures give our shareholders a strong reason to look favorably upon
our recent  results and our future.  A reduction in the raw number of U.S.  jobs
not only  translates  to a smaller  potential  customer base for us, but it also
portends  poorly  for the  number of  individuals  changing  jobs,  a key metric
driving  volume  in  certain  lines  of our  business.  The  latest  preliminary
statistics from the U.S.  Department of Labor indicate that consecutive years of
negative  job growth  only  occurred  three  other times since 1950 and only one
other time over the last forty-four years. We anticipate an improved  employment
and hiring situation in the future,  since all of these periods were followed by
job growth  exceeding  3.75% in the  subsequent  year.  Further,  the U.S. labor
market has not experienced  three consecutive years of negative job growth since
the Great Depression. Thus, we believe that the employment environment is likely
to  improve,  but even if it doesn't in the very near term,  we have  proven our
ability to grow and remain profitable in extremely adverse labor markets."

Fourth  quarter  sales and earnings  were  negatively  impacted by poor economic
conditions,  especially  within  manufacturing  and retail  hiring  where MEDTOX
typically would see a seasonal boost. In her most recent monthly statement,  the
Commissioner  of the  Bureau of Labor  Statistics,  Kathleen  P.  Utgoff,  noted
weakening  within the labor  market  toward the end of 2002 and the "sizable job
losses" that occurred within the retail and manufacturing sectors. In spite of a
particularly difficult fourth quarter,  annual revenues reached record levels in
both MEDTOX's Laboratory and Diagnostic segments for 2002.

                                     (more)




MEDTOX Scientific, Inc.
January 27, 2003
Page 2


Within  the  higher  margin  diagnostic   business,   the  Company   experienced
double-digit   revenue  growth  for  the  fifth  consecutive  year.  New  client
relationships  accounted  for much of the  Company's  overall  growth and, as in
previous  quarters,  offset lower volumes from the decreased  hiring patterns of
existing  clients and the shrinking of state  budgets.  Daily sample volume from
existing  corporate and  occupational  health clients  declined 11% for the year
compared to 2001 levels.

"A year ago, we  explained  our intent to invest in areas that will  support our
future growth and  profitability,  and that is exactly what we did during 2002,"
said Braun. "We indicated that we were  under-invested  in our sales force, R&D,
information  systems,  and  laboratory  and  manufacturing  automation.  We have
improved our Company in all of these  areas,  despite the  challenging  economic
environment  in which we are  operating.  We also continue to diversify and grow
our specialty laboratory services,  which are not directly impacted by the labor
environment.  Revenue in specialty laboratory services,  which includes esoteric
testing,  therapeutic  drug monitoring,  Clinical Trial Services,  and pediatric
screening, increased 23% to $12.4 million from the previous year's $10.1 million
figure.  Our investments added to the decline in operating margins over the most
recent quarter,  but will continue to enable us to diversify,  gain market share
and add client relationships."

Chief  marketing  officer  of  MEDTOX,  Jim  Schoonover,  said,  "The  focus and
efficiency  of our sales model  allowed us to continue to diversify and grow our
revenue streams through this difficult economic climate.  In contrast,  we see a
number of our competitors  reducing  investments in sales,  customer service and
systems  support.  This has enabled us to  continue to gain market  share in all
product lines."

"If we can outperform  our  competitors,  diversify and improve our  operations,
gain  market  share,  grow  our  revenue  and earn a  profit  in this  extremely
difficult  economic  environment,  we expect to be  rewarded  when our  existing
workplace  clients return to their previous hiring  practices,"  said Braun. "We
will continue to  strategically  invest in all aspects of our  business,  with a
particular  focus on  gaining  market  share from our  competitors.  We are well
positioned  within our markets,  and have  momentum to continue  our  profitable
growth throughout 2003 and beyond."

MEDTOX Scientific, Inc., headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., is a provider of high
quality specialized  laboratory and  on-site/point-of-collection  (POC) devices.
The company also supports  customers with complete  logistics,  data and program
management  services.  MEDTOX develops and manufactures  diagnostic  devices for
quick and  economical  on-site/point-of-collection  analysis for drugs of abuse,
therapeutic drugs and biological and agricultural toxins and provides employment
drug screening and occupational health testing.  MEDTOX is a leader in providing
esoteric  laboratory testing services to hospitals and laboratories  nationwide.
This  includes  both  central   laboratory   and   bio-analytical   testing  for
pharmaceutical  clinical  trials.  To be  automatically  alerted by e-mail about
company   information,    please   go   to    http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/
ir_site.zhtml?ticker=tox&script=1900  and follow the directions on the page. For
more information see http://www.medtox.com.

Note:  Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made under
the Private  Securities  Reform Act of 1995.  Actual results may differ due to a
number  of  factors  including  a change  in the  employment  pattern  of client
companies,  the  ability of MEDTOX to acquire new  business,  and changes in the
competitive  environment.  Fuller  discussions  of  factors  that may cause such
results to differ are  identified  on page three of the  company's  2001  annual
report on Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.