From the Guidelines
A drug screen donor is generally not entitled to know the quantitative results of a positive test. When a drug screen comes back positive, donors typically only receive qualitative results (positive or negative) rather than specific concentration levels. This is standard practice in most workplace, legal, and clinical testing scenarios, as supported by the study on drug testing in children and adolescents 1. The reason for this approach is that drug testing programs are primarily designed to determine the presence or absence of substances above established cutoff levels, not to measure exact quantities.
According to the study published in Pediatrics 1, qualitative tests are used for screening and are susceptible to cross-reactions, resulting in false-positive results, which limit their specificity. On the other hand, quantitative tests, which are used for confirmation, can positively identify a substance and generate quantitative concentrations. However, these results are typically only shared with medical review officers (MROs) who interpret the findings and address any legitimate medical explanations for positive results.
Some key points to consider include:
- Qualitative tests are used for initial screening and provide instant positive or negative results
- Quantitative tests are used for confirmation and can provide exact concentration levels, but are typically only shared with MROs
- Donors may have the right to request a retest of the original specimen, but may not receive quantitative results
- Regulations regarding access to test data vary by location and testing purpose, but in general, donors are not entitled to know the quantitative results of a positive test.
From the Research
Entitlement to Quantitative Results
- A drug screen donor's entitlement to know quantitative results on a positive drug screen test is not explicitly stated in the provided studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- However, it is mentioned that laboratory results should be communicated only to the medical review officer to maintain confidentiality 3.
- The studies focus on the accuracy and interpretation of drug testing methods, including immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) 2, 4, 5.
- They also discuss the importance of quality control, confirmation of positive results, and the potential for interferences in laboratory testing 3, 5, 6.
Laboratory Testing and Result Interpretation
- Laboratory testing for drugs of abuse should be performed according to established protocols and with proper quality control measures in place 3, 5.
- The results of drug testing should be interpreted in the context of the testing method, substance being screened, and patient-specific characteristics 4.
- Confirmation of positive results is mandatory in certain cases, such as employment and pre-employment testing 5.
- Interferences in laboratory testing can result in false positive or false negative results, and awareness of these potential interferences is important for proper result interpretation and patient management 6.