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From: KAC
Password: orange
Date: 24 Feb 2009
Time: 01:58:07 -0800
Remote Name: 65.12.195.19
I am not an MRO but I do work for a large corporation that has had a fitness for duty (FFD) program for 25 years. Due to a very unpleasant and demeaning experience about twenty years ago that was ultimately successfully resolved (a false positive for "morphine"), I am always on edge when I have to provide a random sample. This has also raised my level of interest and curiosity about various aspects of FFD testing, ergo, the two following questions:
1. Local anesthetics, such as Lidocaine, are typically used by dentists and dermatologists. Do these local anesthetics have the potential for positive test results? I assume not because of the very short half life but I would like to hear the thoughts of someone knowledgeable about this.
2. A number of years ago my wife applied an OTC gel containing aloe to my sunburned back. The gel was not only surprisingly effective but it also made me somewhat light headed. We then looked at the tube and noticed it included a topical application of something akin to Lidocaine. (I do not remember exactly what it said.) This event occurred only a few years after the incident I briefly mentioned above so it really got my attention. Fortunately, it never became an issue but I have always wondered what would have been the consequences of a random test within the following few days and how this would be handled by a MRO.