Drug Testing : False Positives

chrissie

chrissie

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If you had a drug test for probation or employment, and it came up as positive, but the person being tested was drug free, could this situation be fixed?
Would they test again with perhaps a hair or blood test? Would those create the same false positives?
Would one be able to warn the tester of their use of something like sudafed, nyquil, dimetapp (which can come up as a false positive for amphetamines) or are you supposed to steer clear from everything that could create a false positive?
thanks :)
 
I can't answer many of your questions, but as far as letting the testing agency know goes...when I've had to take drug tests for pre-employment screenings before it has always had a section in which you could list any prescription/medications you are currently taking. I assume this is done for the exact reason you are asking, in case it causes a false positive.
Anyways, sorry I couldn't give too much info, but I'm sure someone on here will be able to!
 
I'm working on a new drug testing FAQ that will hopefully answer this. From the looks of things, false positives are rare and are usually caused by prescriptions which mimic the drugs tested for (opiates like oxy or tylow or amphetamines like adderal, ritalin, etc). To get ibruprofen to register falsely as an amphetamine you have to take high amounts. Everytime I'm tested, I list virtually every OTC thing I can think of like sudafed (which is similar to meth), ripped fuel (which contains ephedra), acetomimophen, ibuprofen, etc.
The problem is getting the testing companies to reveal what really causes false positives. If you are applying for a job and fail the test, chances are you're screwed. If you are on probation or are currently employed, you probably have a better shot at a re-test.
 
I can really only speak from experiene with my own company...
We designed a very strict drug policy. If there is ANY amount of drug in one's system, that person is no longer considered for a position. That differs from many other companies and some government positions that allow for traces, or acceptable amounts of a drug in the system. Moreover, we would allow the person to list current medications prior to the test. If the person then failed the test and no medicines seemed likely to have caused a false positive, the person has no further consideration.
I don't think there is any legal remedy if you came up with a false positive. Employers aren't under any obligation to hire someone. Much like their ability to fire someone for being gay, fat, or ugly, employers probably have incredible leeway with someone who tests positive for drug use, regardless of the validity of such a test and are likely under no legal obligation to order a re-test.
Dr. J
 
The problem is getting the testing companies to reveal what really causes false positives. If you are applying for a job and fail the test, chances are you're screwed. If you are on probation or are currently employed, you probably have a better shot at a re-test.[/QB]
I had been told by every tester that ephedra and ephedrine do not register as positives for anything. But I never believed them. So I always list ephedra as something that I've taken. I do take alot of mini-thins...
And, I could be wrong, but I always thought that in a drug screening for work, you were entitled to a re-test in the case of a positive? Or is that only when you are already employed for a certain length of time and THEN asked to take a drug test???
-physix
Click to expand...
 
if you got a positive on a probation drug test, would you take another one? or would it be more of a 'go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200"
 
People on probation would get a second test if they disputed the results of the first one. The second test would be the gas-chromo...whatever you call that thing. You have to list your medications, etc and the more accurate second test can if the positive result is because of drugs or medication.
Here in Nebraska we have a program called Drug Court which is an insanely restrictive program that lasts for a year, but if you get through it, all your felony charges are dropped. You are not allowed to take even cold medicine if you are in the program, so listing any secondary medications might be a moot point in that case.
Perhaps states are different with regards to the probation question....but that's how it works here :)
Dr. J
 
drug court is like a diversion program right? do they notify you that you are not allowed to be taking other medicines?
ive never heard of a gas-chromo test... how does that work?
 
Most tests use a metabolite assay as the first test. The actual drug metabolites bind with the materials and then they test for the binders. If a positive result is obtained, then a GC/MS (gas chromatogram/mass spectroscopy) is used to verify the results. This is in most drug-testing companies. GC/MS is a coupled set of chemical identifying machines that actually show the molecular formula and amounts of chemicals present in the urine. This way they can differentiate between false-positives and the real mccoy.
Most companies will list what they consider a positive test result. Because the GC/MS is an extra step in the testing process, it adds to the cost and is not routinely done on every sample.
Suffice it to say that if you are on probation for a certain drug conviction, they will look more closely at that particular drug. If you are taking anything that could show as an amphetamine (like Ritalin or adderall) be SURE you list that. In fact, if you have rolled or are using meth, you probably want to list those in case you get a positive result.
Again, I am trying to complete a new more comprehensive drug testing FAQ that will hopefully provide more information on this process.
If you have more specific questions, please email me.
Peace
 
this happened to me i failed a drug test probation. Now i don't do illeagle drugs but the test ccame up positive. I went crazy looked my probation officer in the eyes swore that i never tuouch drugs so they retested and i past. turns out it was a 4yr old test kit and thats why i failed everyone was laughing.i wasn't. those otc drugs you have taken you would had to have taken alot of it to make a false positive.
 
JungleFaerie...
Sorry for the late reply. Drug Court is a brand new program in Nebraska. It's a type of diversion program. It lasts anywhere from 1 to 2 years and after successful completition of the program, all felony charges are dropped.
It is EXTREMEMLY restrictive. You are not allowed to take ANY medications unless prescribed by the court doctor. The Court can tell you where to live and where to work. You are subjected to 3 random urine tests a week. I'm not sure if any other states have programs similar to this...I'm curious how they compare and their success rates. The Nebraska program is just shy of a year old.
Dr. J
 
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