From the Research
If a Medical Review Officer (MRO) discovers that a specimen collector is not certified, they should immediately notify the employer or the designated employer representative (DER) about this compliance issue and recommend that any specimens collected by the uncertified collector be canceled and recollected by a properly certified collector. This recommendation is based on the importance of maintaining the integrity of the drug testing process, which is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of test results. The use of uncertified collectors can compromise specimen validity and chain of custody requirements, potentially leading to false or misleading results.
Key Considerations
- The MRO should document this finding in their records, including when they discovered the issue and what actions they took.
- The employer should be advised to verify certification credentials of all collectors they work with to prevent similar issues in the future.
- The MRO's primary responsibility is to ensure the drug testing process maintains its integrity, and working with uncertified personnel undermines this goal. Although the provided studies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 do not directly address the issue of uncertified specimen collectors, they highlight the importance of proper protocols and procedures in drug testing, which is relevant to the current scenario. However, the most relevant guidance comes from Department of Transportation (DOT) and other federal drug testing guidelines that require collectors to have proper training and certification.