What type of urine drug tests are there

A doctor may request a urine drug screen if they think that a person has been using illegal drugs or misusing prescription drugs. For example, a doctor may request a urine screen to determine if a person is misusing the opioids that the doctor had prescribed to treat their chronic pain.

An emergency services staff member may request a urine drug screen if they suspect that a person is behaving strangely or dangerously due to the influence of drugs.

Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs may request urine drug screens to check whether a person is staying sober. Many sporting officials require urine drug screens to check whether athletes have used performance-enhancing drugs. This is more common in workplaces that require high levels of safety. An employer may be more likely to test a person who operates vehicles or machinery, for example.

However, if a person suspects alcohol consumption, they are more likely to request a breath or blood test. Urine screens can also detect nicotine and cotinine, which the body produces when it breaks down nicotine. An immunoassay IA test is the most common type, because it is the quickest and most cost-effective. However, it can give a false-positive result. This shows the presence of a drug when a person has not used it. A second type of urine screen can confirm the results of an IA test.

The second test is called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS. Usually, providers only use GC-MS tests as follow-ups because they are more expensive, and the results take longer to receive. Urine drug screens use cut-off levels. This means that a result will only be positive if the amount of the drug is above a certain level.

Having cut-off levels helps prevent false-positive results. These can occur when a person has not taken an illegal drug, but they have eaten food containing a legal amount of hemp, coca, or opium. For example, eating poppy seeds before a urine drug screen can, in rare cases, cause the test to detect the presence of opium. Cut-off levels also reduce the chance of a person testing positive after only passive exposure to a drug.

Secondhand smoke is one example of passive exposure. These fail to indicate that a person has recently done drugs. A false-negative result can occur if the urine is very diluted. Many factors affect the length of time that a test can detect a certain drug in the body.

These factors include:. It covers all of the drugs in the traditional 5 panel drug test and adds Ecstasy to better comply with the new Canadian Model standards. It also includes Oxycodone to better identify synthetic opiates of concern as use is on the rise for this substance.

Several substances are detected by most tests but some can only be detected by more detailed tests. What should you choose for your company? This is a more difficult question and really depends on the company values, safety culture , and whether or not you fall under DOT rules. If the goal of drug testing is to meet outside requirements to gain access to a site, or as a requirement of a contract, then it is likely just a simple 5 panel drug test will suffice. Although it bears noting that some states have begun considering marijuana for medical uses.

It will test the 5 classes of schedule 1 drugs of abuse and also includes a specific test for MDMA so it has better sensitivity for Ecstasy. It also has a test for Oxycodone; though it is a commonly prescribed painkiller, it has become a very common street drug that is abused without a prescription. If a company has a very strong safety culture and wants to not only test for schedule 1 drugs, but wants to determine if workers are under the influence of prescription drugs that might cause a safety concern, then the 12 panel drug test is the best option.

This test, like the other two tests, can detect schedule 1 drugs and includes specific tests for MDMA and Methamphetamines in order to provide increased sensitivity of these drugs.

These additional substances are Oxycodone, Propoxyphene, Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates, and Methadone. Oxycodone and Propoxyphene are prescription opiates used mainly as painkillers, but are also very common street drugs. Methadone is an opiate drug that is commonly used in the treatment of heroin or synthetic opiate addictions. It is an opiate drug but it can block the withdrawal symptoms of addicts so that they can be weaned off of the original drug of addiction. This being said it is a strong opiate and has side effects similar to other opiates that cause safety concerns.

Lastly, the panel test tests for Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates. Whichever drug panel a company chooses they must make sure that it complies with any site access and regulatory requirements that they need to meet. They also need to ensure that their drug and alcohol policy addresses the drugs they will be testing for. Written by John Hawes. John graduated in from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy.

It is painless, cost-effective, easy to employ and can be used to test for all types of drugs whether illegal or prescription. This article will take a closer look at the drugs that may show up in a urine test and reveal how long they can remain traceable in your system. A urine drug test is one of the most effective ways to determine whether or not someone has abused drugs.

The immunoassay test is used for an initial check. If the result is positive, a more precise test is used for confirmation—gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. These drug testing methods are able to detect all the most commonly used illicit substances, including some prescription drugs that can be abused. In some cases, testers may use a 9- or panel drug test that includes most commonly abused prescription drugs, which are:. Alcohol testing may also be done during the process, but since alcohol has a short half-half, it may not show up in urine.

In this case, an oral test might be the best alternative. On rare occasions, you may be tested for some new designer drugs of abuse.

In the end, the list of drugs that are being checked depends on the purpose of testing, the rules of the organisation that tests, and state and federal requirements or other guidelines that have been put into place. A misconception about testing for a specific class of drugs is that the test will surely detect the entire line of drugs in that class.

In fact, this is not always true.