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From: Robert Swotinsky MD
Password: orange
Date: 09 May 2008
Time: 06:11:05 -0700
Remote Name: 68.184.42.162
There are few good studies that either support or reject the need for drug testing using the five-drug DOT panel. DET posted a question about studies to support (or not) drug test panels that go beyond the five-drug DOT panel. There are no good studies about the efficacy of testing beyond the five-drug DOT panel for workplace purposes.
Employers who are considering testing for prescription drugs need to know it is complex. The problem issues includes use of old prescription meds, use of borrowed prescription meds, and use of prescription meds for conditions for which they were not prescribed. These problems don't come up for tests of cocaine and marijuana. Workplace drug testing was originally put into place as a social engineering tool to discourage use of illicit drugs. In that process, detection of prescription drugs If a company is now trying to do something similar by testing for prescription drugs, that's fine, but they should be aware it's not as black and white an issue as testing for illicit drugs. For employers, this could mean increased legal liability from testing for prescription drugs.