10-panel drug test: Which drugs, timeframes, and results

how to read a drug test

Most companies or doctors will work directly with a lab that analyzes the results of the test. Detection times may depend on the type of drug, how much the person took, and how fast their metabolism works. Many administrators prefer to use urine tests because of the accuracy and simplicity of the process. The person who carried out the test or a medical review officer will explain the results.

how to read a drug test

Any sample with a temperature outside this range should be deemed suspicious and should be checked for any adulteration. After obtaining a sample, a line should appear next to the control region, or the C mark. If the Control line does not appear after 10 minutes of obtaining a sample, discard the test and administer a new one. If you test positive for a legal drug prescribed by your doctor, 9 healthy things that happen to your body when you stop drinking for 30 days or more your employer can’t penalize you, unless the drug is affecting your ability to perform your job. If you have questions or concerns about a drug test, talk with your provider or the person or organization that is asking for the test. But if drugs show up in your results, it may affect your job, your eligibility to play sports, the outcome of a legal matter, or other parts of your life.

How Urine Drug Testing Is Performed

It ensures that you collect the appropriate volume of urine, provides rapid results, and contains a temperature strip to confirm that the sample has not been tampered with. Laboratory has several ways to determine if a urine sample was tampered. If a test is invalid, the laboratory will typically report the reason for this result.

how to read a drug test

A faint line DOES NOT mean the specimen contains small amounts of a specific drug metabolite. After you have selected the appropriate urine screening cup, you can begin with testing and interpretation of results. Collecting and interpreting specimens involves following the appropriate steps to accurately determine the result of the test. This involves being familiar with the components of the test and how to interpret each one.

The drug test screens for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound in cannabis (marijuana), although it may also pick up other compounds like cannabidiol (CBD). Testing positive after using CBD will depend on whether the product contains THC, and some do. You may be asked to take a drug test for a job, to participate in certain organized sports, or as part of a police adderall xr amphetamine dextroamphetamine mixed salts investigation or court case. In a hospital emergency room, a provider may order a drug test if you have signs of a possible drug overdose. Drug testing may be scheduled ahead of time or done randomly without notice. If an administrator is concerned with contamination, they may take precautions such as turning off tap water in the bathroom or adding a dye to the toilet water.

Tips for Ensuring Accurate Results from Your Drug Test Cup

Each panel will have its own Control Region (C) marked at the top, and a Test Region (T) specific to the drug being tested. The Control Region indicates that the test is working properly and the Test Region indicates whether the drug you are testing for is present. Results of this test are expressed in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Any result below the cutoff number is a negative screen and any number above the cutoff number is a positive screen. There are several scenarios where a urine drug test might be necessary.

  1. The control region serves as a built-in quality check to ensure that the drug test is functioning correctly.
  2. False positives can be a real headache for companies that implement drug testing policies.
  3. Doctors, sports officials, and employers may request this type of test for various reasons.
  4. Test results from an initial drug test, including at-home urine drug tests, provide only preliminary results.
  5. A urine drug test may be ordered by a doctor or an administrator of a program that requires drug testing.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of reading drug test cups, let’s get familiar with their components. DrugConfirm is a proven drug abuse prevention tool that is both convenient and confidential for the end user. Providing results in minutes, the kit comes with a specimen transport box and a specimen ID card. It can be used to test drugs like cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, methamphetamines, opiates and phencyclidine. As stated above, the normal temperature of human urine ranges from 94°F to 96°F (about 35°C). A urine test cup usually contains a temperature strip, which is built in to detect abnormalities in the specimen.

SAMHSA Urine Drug Test Cutoff Values

This type of test uses immunoassay to find the parent drug and/or metabolite. Immunoassay means the test looks for certain substances and molecules to provide a positive or negative result. Most common drugs screened include cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, marijuana, PCP, methadone, and benzodiazepines (BZO). A urine screening test is fast, but may not be the most reliable result.

If your first test comes back positive, a follow-up test known as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is done for confirmation. This type of test uses the same procedure for getting a urine specimen as the immunoassay. GC/MS results are more expensive and take longer to give results, but they rarely produce false positives.

For urine tests, you’ll need to provide a urine specimen collected from your pee into a small cup. Expect to be monitored to ensure you haven’t tampered with the test (for example, by bringing a sample from someone else). About iCup Urine Drug Test Cup iCup drug test kits are the most popular instant urine drug test kits in the industry! This brand launched its very own Onsite Urinalysis Test Cup that can be used easily in the detection of onsite drugs.

Signs of drug use can remain in a person’s system long after the physical effects wear off. The analysis can determine whether a person used specific drugs days or weeks before testing. It’s vital to have a strategy for managing false positives, so as to uphold the SAMHSA guidelines and ensure optimal safety in the workplace. If there’s only one line visible in the control region (C), but none or a faint line in the test region (T), this indicates a positive result for recent drug use.

Actionable Steps to Address False Positives

With that said, some professions involving personal and public safety may require regular 10-panel drug tests. A urine drug screen can quickly, effectively detect some illegal and prescription drugs. Doctors, sports officials, and employers may request this type alcoholic eyes of test for various reasons. A doctor or trained technician usually performs a urine drug screening. About DrugConfirm Urine Drug Test Kit Our flagship instant urine drug test kit is the best selling DrugConfirm urine drug testing cup capable of detec…

Typically, the specimen collection for urine drug test is performed on-site when so requested such as by the employer or school administrator. It may also be done at the laboratory where the laboratory technicians or medical staff read the results. However, there are some urine drug test products available which allow home testing or instant reading of the results on-site. However, the temperature may change as soon as it is exposed to either warm or cool environment. For drug screening, a urine temperature that is within the range of °F is usually acceptable. Ensuring that the sample is in this temperature range is the best way to tell whether the sample actually came from the donor at the time of testing.

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