able to protect your workplace. Not only are there different specimens to choose from, but also testing methods. Employers can choose between instant/on-site/rapid- result testing products that provide a result immediately, or they can choose to perform lab-based testing. Choosing the correct specimen type for


your testing purpose is critical. Since every workplace is different, there is no “correct” answer. Understanding the pros and cons and evaluating the purpose of and goal for your workplace is critical (see Figure 1). For an employer looking to determine


if use is recent, blood or oral fluid would be the best specimens to choose. Looking at recent use allows employers to rule out historic use, effectively zeroing in more closely on “under the influence” or, potentially, “impaired” at the point in time when the test was performed. Although both blood and oral fluid detect recent use, many employers prefer oral fluid because of its easy, noninvasive collection process. For recent marijuana use in particular,


oral fluid is considered the best practice for employers.4


Oral fluid effectively detects


recent marijuana use, excludes historic use, and does so with a noninvasive collection. Urine testing cannot differentiate recent use from use that happened weeks ago, and oſten misses use that happened during the past few hours before the drug test. As it stands, there is currently no universal way for employers to measure marijuana impairment. Employers should instead focus on determining if use was recent. Oral fluid testing can detect marijuana almost immediately upon ingestion, and depending upon the oral fluid method used, only detects marijuana for hours aſter use (instant testing) to approximately 1–2 days (lab-based), allowing for a narrow window of detection.5 For employers who are most concerned


with speed to hire, oral fluid is an excellent option. Lab-based oral fluid testing


eliminates the 24–48 hours in which most candidates have to schedule and find an open collection facility that has a testing time of generally 24 hours or less for negative results. Another consideration for employers with 24/7/365 operations is the ability to test whenever required, without transportation to an offsite collection site, without the cost of an emergency onsite collection, and at the same, easy-to-budget price for a drug test during standard business hours. Again, this is a huge benefit for employers in remote areas where collection sites tend to be more difficult to locate and are oſtentimes more expensive. Tat said, if hiring remotely, an employer still needs to consider the cost of a collector unless local supervisory personnel is available to perform collections. Te training is online and easy if local staff is available and no special facilities are required.


Preparing for the Future While Protecting Your Bottom Line


While it is difficult to understand the nuances between use, abuse, under the influence, and impairment, it isn’t impossible. Understanding the different terms is only the beginning, but it is the cornerstone of an effective drug-free workplace program. Craſting a drug- free workplace program that meets your company’s needs is paramount. Updating policy and procedures and complying with state laws is always best practice, no mater what methods you choose. ❚


References 1


Current Compliance State Law Database. The Current Consulting Group, accessed January 23, 2019.


2


“History of Drugs and Alcohol Testing.” Dräger USA, date unknown. https://www.draeger.com/Library/Content/ history-of-alcohol-testing-en.pdf.


3


“Alcohol and the Human Body.” Intoximeters, date unknown. https://www.intox.com/physiology/.


4


Drummer, Olaf H. Drug Testing in Oral Fluid. August 27, 2006. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC1579288/.


5


A.G. Verstraete. Detection times of drugs of abuse in blood, urine, and oral fluid. Ther. Drug Monit. 26: 200-205 (2004).


Brian Feeley is currently the national corporate accounts manager for OraSure Tech- nologies’ Substance Abuse Testing division. He has over 35 years of experience


in the industry, working in technical, busi- ness development, and sales & marketing capacities. He is named as an inventor on four patents and has authored numerous publications across three different scientific disciplines. Brian has been at OraSure Technologies for the past 21 years, where he has focused on the launch and applica- tions of oral-fluid-based drugs of abuse, al- cohol, and nicotine testing products. Brian focuses largely on the workplace testing market supporting national laboratories and TPAs with their oral fluid testing prod- ucts and services, and helping employers better understand how oral fluid testing can enhance their screening programs.


26


datia focus


spring 2019


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56