The accuracy of a drug test is an essential issue that must be considered while choosing a test for a particular purpose. When considering the accuracy for drug and reliability to test urine, look at the budget, location, and level of accuracy needed.
Urine tests are 95% to 98% accurate when done at home, at work, or anywhere else. These drug test kits are easy to use, FDA approved, follow SAMSHA cut off guidelines and are inexpensive. However, they only qualify as a preliminary test. Urine specimen testing, or an Adulterant Test, confirms that the urine specimen is unadulterated, lending further validity to the urine tests. When considering the accuracy of a drug test, urine samples must be analyzed for adulteration.
Pregnancy tests are greater than 99% effective with a urine sample for healthy adults. As technology improves, people are becoming less dependent on the accuracy of blood pregnancy test methods.
Although preliminary tests are 95% to 98% accurate, it is important to have them verified for some purposes. Confirmation testing is done by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or by advanced liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. The tests are based on the physical and chemical properties of the drug being measured. A ‘drug fingerprint’ is made. Because of this, the tests are very sensitive and dependable. These tests are legally defensible evidence of drug use.
Laboratory Urine Drug Confirmation is a laboratory based gas chromatography or mass spectrometry testing of urine specimens. This laboratory confirmation is priced at between $31.95 and $34.95 each depending on the number of tests ordered. The laboratory urine drug screen tests for amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids (THC, marijuana), cocaine, methadone, opiates, and PCP. It provides a test to verify preliminary testing. The kit contains a chain of custody form or requisition form, a specimen collection container with a temperature monitor, and a biohazard bag with an absorbent for the specimen container, latex gloves, a shipping transport bag, and prepaid shipping label for overnight shipping to the laboratory.
A Medical Review Officer (MRO) is a licensed physician who has knowledge of substance abuse and medical training to interpret and evaluate an individual’s positive test results while considering medical history and relevant biomedical information. With this information, an MRO reviews drug test results. An MRO determines when an individual is drug free and the risk of subsequent use of dangerous drugs. An MRO may require an individual to agree to be subjected to unannounced testing for a period of time up to 60 months. This service is available for $19.95.
Drug test accuracy is needed at different levels for different purposes. Some preliminary tests can be used on their own at the discretion of a professional for screening purposes. Legal issues may lead to the use of validating a preliminary test with advanced technology and review by a Medical Review Officer.