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From: Robert Swotinsky MD
Password: orange
Date: 15 Dec 2007
Time: 07:44:31 -0800
Remote Name: 71.233.246.147
I'll assume the question asks whether methadone will cause a positive result on a point-of-collection test device for opiates. My answer is, it is highly unlikely. The usual opiate immunoassays are targeted at morphine. If someone is trying to perform immunoassay testing for methadone, they will need to use a methadone-specific immunoassay.
Consider for example the study by Smith M, et al, JAT. Vo. 24, October 2000.
522-9. They tested six commercially available immunoassay products against a
variety of substances and found that none of the products produced detectable
opiates reactivity to methadone at a concentration of 300 ng/mL. The chemical structure of methadone differs from that of morphine, codeine, and 6-AM, too, and this also suggests there should be no cross reactivity.
To illustrate, I've copied below the chemical structure of methadone (left or
top) and codeine (right or bottom).
