Forensic Testing for Drugs of Abuse

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Anderson ◽  
Kimmy Naik ◽  
Chenery Kinemond ◽  
Anne ImObersteg
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Drunk Driving ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Confirmatory Test ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Chain Of Custody ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Forensic Testing

Forensic urine drug testing (FUDT) is a tool of many employers to assess drug use in employees. Collegiate and professional sports test for banned substances. Immunoassays are often the screening test. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is the confirmatory test. Numerous foods and medications interfere with test results. Safeguards in FUDT include chain of custody procedures, certification of laboratories and personnel, cutoff values, quality assurance and quality control procedures, and medical review officers. Breath analysis is used in drunk-driving cases. Blood and hair can also be analyzed for substances of abuse. Pharmacists can be an asset in drug testing issues.

scholarly journals Adulteration of Urine by “Urine Luck”

1999 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1051-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan HB Wu ◽  
Ben Bristol ◽  
Karen Sexton ◽  
Gina Cassella-McLane ◽  
Verena Holtman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Spot Test ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Pyridinium Chlorochromate ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Chain Of Custody ◽  
Drug Assays ◽  
Workplace Drug Testing

Abstract Background: In vitro adulterants are used to invalidate assays for urine drugs of abuse. The present study examined the effect of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) found in the product “Urine Luck”. Methods: PCC was prepared and added to positive urine controls at concentrations of 0, 10, 50, and 100 g/L. The controls were assayed for methamphetamine, benzoylecgonine (BE), codeine and morphine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and phencyclidine (PCP) with the Emit II (Syva) and Abuscreen Online (Roche) immunoassays, and by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Two tests were also developed to detect PCC in urine: a spot test to detect chromate ions using 10 g/L 1,5-diphenylcarbazide as the indicator, and a GC/MS assay for pyridine. We tested 150 samples submitted for routine urinalysis, compliance, and workplace drug testing for PCC, using these assays. Results: Response rates decreased at 100 g/L PCC for all Emit II drug assays and for the Abuscreen morphine and THC assays. In contrast, the Abuscreen amphetamine assay produced apparently higher results, and no effect was seen on the results for BE or PCP. The PCC did not affect the GC/MS recovery of methamphetamine, BE, PCP, or their deuterated internal standards, but decreased GC/MS recovery of the opiates at both intermediate (50 g/L) and high (100 g/L) PCC concentrations and apparent concentrations of THC and THC-d3 at all PCC concentrations. Two of 50 samples submitted for workplace drug testing under chain-of-custody conditions were positive for PCC, whereas none of the remaining 100 specimens submitted for routine urinalysis or compliance drug testing were positive. Conclusions: PCC is an effective adulterant for urine drug testing of THC and opiates. Identification of PCC use can be accomplished with use of a spot test for the oxidant.

Status of drugs-of-abuse testing in urine under blind conditions: an AACC study.

1989 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 891-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
C S Frings ◽  
D J Battaglia ◽  
R M White
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Drug Testing ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Accuracy Rate ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Chain Of Custody ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Positive Results

Abstract We report results of a blind study designed to determine the accuracy of drugs-of-abuse testing in urine as done in 31 laboratories across the United States. The drugs studied were amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, and phencyclidine. These laboratories confirmed all positive drug results with a different analytical method. Ten urine samples were sent to each laboratory, which resulted in 1486 trials. There were no false-positive results. The overall accuracy rate was 97%. Our study demonstrates that urine drug testing can be accurate when performed by qualified staff, using up-to-date screening and confirmation methods, appropriate quality-assurance measures, and a chain of custody.

Analytical and technical aspects of testing for drug abuse: confirmatory procedures.

1988 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Peat
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Analytical Procedure ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Technical Aspects ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Accuracy And Precision ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Chemical Technique ◽  
Layer Chromatography

Abstract Many laboratories are now performing urine drug testing for employers, governmental agencies, and other institutions. It is now recognized that presumptive positive screening results have to be confirmed by an analytical procedure based on a different chemical technique with greater than or equal sensitivity to the screening test. Thin-layer chromatography has been widely used for this; however, it is relatively insensitive for certain drugs, and it cannot satisfy the accuracy and precision requirements needed to determine threshold concentrations reliably. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is able to satisfy these threshold requirements and has become the method of choice for confirming initial immunoassay results.

Legal issues related to drug testing in the clinical laboratory.

1988 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
R T Chamberlain
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Legal Issues ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Chain Of Custody ◽  
Urine Drug Test ◽  
The Many

Abstract As has been reported many times by the lay press, urine drug testing may pose some unique challenges. The clinical laboratory interested in industrial drug testing (typically known as employee drug testing) should be aware of the many challenges that may be brought on by the fact that the result may be contested in an adversarial proceeding. This is what makes the urine drug test a forensic test. It may be one piece of evidence or the only piece of evidence used in an adversarial proceeding that may decide on punitive or rehabilitative action against an employee. As a result, unique standards for governmental contract laboratories have been proposed from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and special proficiency testing and accreditation procedures have been promoted by professional societies. These standards illustrate the sensitive nature of the results. Because the results are subject to adversarial proceedings, all parties concerned in the testing process should be aware of the legal issues surrounding urine drug testing. There are constitutional and statutory issues as well as tort issues such as negligence, defamation, invasion of privacy, battery, infliction of emotional distress, and others. Laboratories should be especially aware of these issues, since they may be brought in as a third-party defendant to a suit or brought in as a participant in gathering the evidence. The laboratory should also be aware of other legal ramifications such as chain of custody, expert testimony, and the acceptability of scientific evidence.

Financial viability of screening for drugs of abuse

1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 805-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Peat
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Postal Service ◽  
Test Results ◽  
United States Postal Service ◽  
Financial Benefits ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug

Abstract Urine drug testing is now a common practice in the American workplace; a recent survey indicated that > 90% of companies with > 5000 employees have some type of testing program. These programs have indeed reduced the rate of drug-positive test results; for example, recent data from the Federal Aviation Agency show that the rate for 1993 was 0.82% compared with 0.95% for 1992. Many corporations have stated that urine drug testing, as a component of a substance abuse policy, results in significant savings, e.g., from decreased absenteeism and turnover. The United States Postal Service recently completed a longitudinal study on the economic benefits and found that, over the average tenure of an annual intake of employees, there were savings of more than $100 million. Although this study clearly demonstrates the financial benefits of preemployment drug testing, the decision to test is not based solely on this but also on the regulatory environment and on the potential impact of a major accident attributable to the use of drugs or alcohol in the workplace.

Lowering the federally mandated cannabinoid immunoassay cutoff increases true-positive results

1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 729-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Huestis ◽  
J M Mitchell ◽  
E J Cone
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Human Services ◽  
Drug Testing ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
True Positive ◽  
Health And Human Services ◽  
Urine Drug Testing ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Positive Results

Abstract Proposed changes to the Health and Human Services Guidelines for forensic urine drug testing will lower the required cannabinoid immunoassay cutoff concentration from 100 to 50 micrograms/L. We investigated the effect of this change on the sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency of eight cannabinoid immunoassays: Syva Emit d.a.u. 100; Syva Emit II 100; Syva Emit d.a.u. 50; Syva Emit II 50; Roche Abuscreen Online; Roche Abuscreen radioimmunoassay; Diagnostic Reagents; and Abbott ADx. All specimens also were assayed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Lowering the cutoff concentration from 100 to 50 micrograms/L increased efficiencies and sensitivities for all immunoassays, with minor decreases in specificity (1.0-2.6%). There was a 23.2-53.6% increase in the number of true-positive specimens identified. Thus, lowering the cannabinoid immunoassay cutoff concentration from 100 to 50 micrograms/L resulted in detection of a substantial number of additional true-positive specimens, with an accompanying small increase in unconfirmed positive results.

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