Oral Fluid Drug Testing: A

Simple Solution for a Complex

World

Guest Speaker:
Ben Agee
Oral Fluid Scientist, Keystone Laboratory

Moderator:
Kendra McCardle
Business Relationship Director for Wolfe, Inc.


Never underestimate the power of a simple tool.
- Craig Bruce

ORAL FLUID DRUG TESTING:
A SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR A COMPLEX WORLD
WOLFE WORDS
Adulterated made impure by
adding extraneous, improper, or
inferior ingredients
Neat Sample a sample obtained by
expectorating (spitting) rather than
through a medium such as a pad or
buffer
Metabolite a product of metabolic
action
Substituted any sample not
produced by the donor
A neat oral fluid sample is the best method of
collection for the highest percentage of drug
recovery.
-SAMHSA Proposed Revisions to Mandatory Guidelines
for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs








Sample Collection is the Key
Not all samples are equal (even the best drug test is only as good as the specimen)
No buffers
No diluents
No pads
Less non-productive time for donors and collectors
Ideal for
onsite
collecting
Totally
observable
No donor
privacy
concerns
Less set-up
time
Dual gender
observations
No shy
bladder
issues
Saves time and
productivity
Reduces the likelihood of
possible
adulteration/substitution
Ideal for post-accident
testing, pre-employment
testing, random testing
and reasonable suspicion
testing
Only a 5 step collection
process
If the donor
does not have
to leave the
facility
Fast, easy and convenient sample collection

Premium Oral Fluid Collector
Minimal setup
time
Dual
gender
observation
No shy
bladder
75,400 websi tes have advi ce on beati ng ur i ne-based scr eeni ng
- Google


Dilute
Adulterated Substituted

Oral fluid drug testing can detect current drug use. The window of detection in
oral fluid drug testing is 12-24 hours.

Oral Fluid is great for:
For Cause
Post
Accident
Random
Tests
Return to
Duty
Pre-
Employment
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug

is the primary compound
and psychoactive
ingredient in marijuana
(parent) is the most
prevalent marijuana
compound in saliva
becomes very sticky when
warm and tends to cling to
porous surfaces
is the most difficult drug to
recover in oral fluid testing
9-
THC
The recovery of 9-THC from devices with absorbing
components is a problem. The recovery of 9-THC is not as
good as that of other analytes due to the absorption of 9
THC to the plastic and the absorptive compounds of the
device.
*Langel, K., C. Engblom, et al. (2008). " Drug testing in oral fluid-
evaluation of sample collection devices." Journal of Analytical
Toxicology 32(6): 393-401.
Inadequate Recovery 9-THC
in Collection Devices
* Sample collection is fast and easy

* No pads, no buffers and no diluents to affect
sample integrity

* Unaltered sample for maximum recovery
* Glass is a better collection container vs.
plastic for THC recovery and screening
accuracy
Premium Oral Fluid Collector

Equally important is a device with a sample volume indicator
-SAMHSA Proposed Revisions To Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs





Without
an
Indicator
No objective
way to
measure
sample volume
Large
variations are
problematic
to get
quantitative
results for
drug recovery
Collected
sample volume
can vary from
18-83%
Accurate sample
volumes are
necessary to ensure
accurate results
Easy to read fill line
ensures sufficient
sample volume
Decreases rejections for
insufficient quantity

Premium Oral Fluid Collector


9-THC
Cocaine
Opiates
PCP
Amphetamine
Methamphetamine
MDMA (Ecstasy)


Oral fluid specimens
accounted for only 5%
of collected samples
in 2009
We project that by
2016 approximately
20% (over 20
mi lli on) of all
collected specimens
will be oral fluid
samples

Reproduced from A Five Year Analysis of Oral Fluid Drug Testing Results from a MRO Data Source, 2003-2007;
Walsh, J.M., et al., 2008 Society of Forensic Toxicology National Meeting and data collected from the field in 9/09.
Data is conservative and only shows one MRO source. 2009 data point from personal communication with J.M.Walsh.
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
3500000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Oral Fluid Trends
75%+ of drug users have jobs

There are between 10 million and 12 million drug users in the
workplace

It is estimated businesses lose between $129 billion and $180
billion per year due to productivity losses to drug use

Drug users are 33% less productive than their co-workers, and
on average cost their employers between $7,000 and $15,000
annually
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration
website;
Safety and Health Topics, Workplace Substance Abuse.

Calculating Savings for
Higher Positive Rates

Easy to collect

Difficult to adulterate

Better indicator of
recent drug use
Featured Presenter

Ben Agee
Oral Fluid Scientist, Keystone Laboratory



Ben is the resident Oral Fluid scientist for Keystone Laboratory
in Asheville, NC. He graduated from Western Carolina University
with a degree in Biology.

Contact Ben directly at 1.800.230.2991
or at BennettA@WolfeI nc.com
Wolfe, Inc
1.800.230.2991
BizRelations@Wolfeinc.com
www.WolfeInc.com