5 Panel or a 10 Panel Drug Test? What's the Diff?
Posted by Doug Hay on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 @ 05:47 PM
Our friends at EDPM have a great blog series going called Top 10 Factors in Developing a Drug Testing Program . Here is installment number 3 written by Anoop Mishra:
So You Think You Can Drug Test? Factor #3: Testing Panels
Posted by Anoop Mishra on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 @ 09:11 AM
"I know that he's on something - send him in for a drug test!"
Ever heard, thought or said this? If so, you're not alone. We sometimes think that drug testing will be the definitive answer to any "suspicious" behavior at work. While drug testing can be a very effective, the reality is that a drug test can't catch everything. This does raise the question: what is my drug test catching (and not catching)? Today, we’ll look at Factor #3: Testing Panels as we explore the Top 10 Factors in Developing a Drug Testing Program. In so doing, we'll focus on lab-based urinalysis since this testing modality is most common among employers and offers a much greater selection of test panels compared to others (hair, oral fluid, instant testing).
What's the Baseline?
Most employers are familiar with the standard "5-panel" in employee-based testing, which tests for five drugs: Amphetamine, Cannabinoids (Marijuana), Cocaine, Opiates, and Phencyclidine (PCP). The 5-panel is all that is permitted by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in its mandatory testing program.
What are some additional testing options?
Employers can look at testing for a multitude of other drugs including:
- 10-Panel Test - For most non-regulated employers, however, a 10-panel drug test typically will work better. In addition to testing for the standard five drugs, this panel also tests for abused prescriptioned drugs like Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates, Methadone, Methaqualone, and Propoxyphene. The real advantage to this test is that there usually is no price difference between a 5-panel and 10-panel test.
- Expanded Opiates (Oxycodone, Hydrocodone) - A standard 5 or 10 panel will not test for frequently abused painkillers like Lortab or Oxycontin. Even though these drugs are Opiates, they require a special test. More employers today are opting for this "expanded opiates" panel due to the tremendous rise in abuse in the last 10 years.
- Nicotine Testing - With the increase in healthcare costs and workplace wellness programs, some employers using nicotine testing as a way to incentivize employees not to smoke. A nicotine test can be "added" to a standard drug test or be conducted as a separate test altogether.
- Healthcare Professional Testing - Employers in the healthcare industry (e.g., doctors, nurses, clinical workers, etc.) need to consider that their employees will have access to many more drugs than the average employee - drugs like Meperidine, Tramadol, Fentanyl. These test panels are more expensive and sophisticated, but are highly advisable in these workplaces.
- "Club" Drug Panels - Other drugs of abuse are more common in younger demographics - "club" drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy or "X"), GHB, Hallucinogens (LSD), and synthetic cannabinoids (K-2 / Spice). These tests are less common, but may be more relevant for employers with a traditionally younger workforce (e.g., restaurants).
- Anabolic Steroids - Steroids testing is available, but is pretty limited in workplace drug testing programs. This type of testing may make sense for law enforcement, personal fitness industry, or in drug testing student/professional athletes.
As you determine what drug test panel might work best for your workplace, you should take into account the following factors:
- Industry (e.g., healthcare, construction, food services)
- State and Federal Regulations (e.g., DOT regulated)
- Workforce Demographics (age of employees)
- Scope of Job Functions (e.g., safety positions, office work)
- Geography (what drugs may be more common in your area)
If you would like EDPM to assist you in determining what test panel might work best for your workplace, contact us by clicking here.
In our next installment in this blog series, we'll consider Factor #4: Random Testing - how to structure an effective random testing program.
EDPM is a great partner of Premier's. If you want to include an EDPM 5 or 10 panel drug test as part of your next background package, let Premier know and we'll set it up for you.