This page has been specially formated to be printer friendly

Multipanel Rapid Drug Test Instructions

How accurate are these tests?

These tests are very accurate and the sensitivity levels meet the U.S.A, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) standards and recommended levels set by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

There is however a possibility of false results due to the interference of other substances in the urine. Substances that may give a false, positive result are as follows:

• Codeine which can be found in medicines such as Calpol and Benylin
• Morphine which can be found in Co-codamol.

These substances will give a positive result for opiates.

If carrying out the test on someone it would be advisable to ask the person being tested if they are on any prescription drugs for medical purposes when the test is carried out.

Drugs in the workplace

Drugs can affect the brain and the body in a number of ways and this can affect the employee's performance at work even if the misuse takes place outside the place of work.

As an employer you have a duty to ensure as far as is reasonably possible that your employees are not a danger to other employees or the general public by consuming drugs of abuse.

Legalities

If you are an employer wanting to test staff for drugs of abuse it is important that you have a policy in place, warning staff that they may be subject to random drug tests and that the use of drugs in the workplace or being under the influence of drugs in the workplace is a dismissible offence. It is also important that you keep up to date on the latest government legislation. If one of your employees has a drug problem you should make every effort to help them, and encourage them to seek professional help. If drug abuse is a common problem in your work place it may be in your interest to begin a drug awareness program for staff and managers.

5, 6 and 10 - Multipanel Drug Screening Cassettes

These drugs tests are accurate, fast and easy to do, they detect the presence of drugs of abuse in urine. There are three cassettes available a 5 cassette that looks for amphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines, methadone and opiates. A 6 cassette that looks for amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and opiates. We also have a 10 cassette which looks for all major drugs amphetamines, barbiturates (BAR), benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, methadone (MTD), phencyclidine (PCP), opiates and tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) in human urine.

When should I do the test?

This test can be carried out at any time.

To perform the test:

1. Carefully remove the cassette from the foil pouch (do not break the seal on the foil pouch until you are ready to begin the test).
2. using a plastic cup, obtain a urine sample from the individual who is being tested.
3. Pull the protective cap off the bottom of the test to reveal the absorbent testing strip. Do not touch the strip and do not throw away the protective cap.
4. Carefully dip the testing strip into the urine sample, ensuring that the urine does not come into contact with the plastic case of the test. Allow the test to absorb the urine for about 10-15 seconds. You will begin to see urine moving up the strip.
5. After 15 seconds, remove the test from the urine and replace the protective cap.
6. Lay the test on a clean flat surface while the test lines develop.
7. You can read negative results as soon as they appear but positive results must be read at least 5 minutes after removing from urine. All results should be read within 10 minutes otherwise a false reading may occur.

Results

Each drug has its own test strip and so each strip result should be read individually.

You will see 2 letters on the drugs cassette next to the test strips, 'C' this is the Control band and 'T' this is the Test band.

A pink coloured line should appear on the strip of the control band (C), for each drug type, this confirms that each test is working properly. If no line appears in the control band the cassette hasn’t worked properly and you may need to do a further test.

A second pink coloured line, no matter how faint should now appear in the test band (T), this is a negative result. If no further line appears in the test band (T) then the individual has tested positive for that drug of abuse.

The coloured labels on the test will tell you which drug each individual strip is testing for.

Remember a negative result will produce 2 lines and a positive result will produce only 1 line in the control band (C).

What should I do with the results?

If you obtain a negative result then the person tested has none of the tested drug of abuse in their body at this time. You may want to re-test again in a month's time. If you obtain a positive result then a drug of abuse has been detected in the urine. You may want to do another test later, or at a further date to confirm the result .