Oral fluid testing: Another option for employers

Workplace Safety Screenings has used oral fluid testing for more than a decade to eliminate drug test cheating, perform on-site testing, and provide reliable results to employers. We have perfected the use of this type of testing, putting procedures in place that make the test defensible and consistent. As we look forward to 2021 and the return of business as usual, let's take a closer look at oral fluid testing, the easiest way to perform an on-site reasonable suspicion drug test. 

How does it work?

An oral fluid test can be given immediately, any where, by any one who is approved by the employer. There is no privacy requirements or equipment needed other than the employee and the test. Additionally, employers do not need to worry about shy bladder--the sample is readily available. 

When compared to urine and hair drug tests, oral fluid is best at detecting recent drug use. Drugs take time to metabolize and pass through the system in a urine test, and the same drugs are incorporated as hair grows and it takes time for the drug to be present in the hair above the scalp. But an oral fluid test will often detect drugs immediately after use. 

Is oral fluid testing accurate?

Oral fluid testing is no less accurate than the most common form of drug testing, urine testing. The results of oral fluid testing offer information that can help employers understand the effects of drug abuse, assess job performance, and determine safety risks. Positive test results in oral fluid drug tests are most often related to the amount of the drugs found in the bloodstream at the time
of collection.In fact, oral fluid testing provides a “blood equivalent” result. This is due to how oral-fluid molecules similar to those found in blood plasma are measured. Compared to urine testing, positivity rates are often higher. Technology advancements have impacted oral fluid testing in more ways than one. It’s now possible to more accurately quantify drug test results through advancements in both the collection device used in oral fluid testing and in laboratory tests used to screen for drugs.

What are the benefits?

Lab-based oral fluid testing offers virtually all the advantages of lab-based urine testing without the disadvantages.

ELIMINATE COLLECTION HASSLES

• Expedite specimen collection without the time/hassles of obtaining other forms of specimen.
• Eliminate gender-based and other issues, including shy bladder problems.
• Collect specimens anytime, anywhere, and in any testing environment.

ELIMINATE DRUG TEST CHEATING

• Easily observed collections eliminate substitution and additives.
• Dilution tactics, adulteration products, and most other methods are ineffective.

MAINTAIN SUPERIOR LABORATORY CONFIDENCE

• Establish accurate positivity rates that reflect current drug-use trends.
• Capture “impairment” or “under the influence” positivity rates, especially in marijuana-approved states.

SAFEGUARD LEGAL DEFENSIBILITY

• Options include the services of a certified medical review officer with paper or electronic chain-of-custody procedures.
• Ensure comprehensive donor inclusion process, eliminating potential specimen integrity challenges.