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SPECIMEN COLLECTION Urine Specimen

- Least expensive, most popular


- Easy to do
Collection Site Requirements - Standardized procedures
A toilet/stall - Detects use within the week
Hand washing facility outside of toilet - Abstaining can produce negative reaction
Specimen booth - Established specimen validity tests
Toilet coloring agent
Hair Specimen
On Site Specimen Collection - Expensive and tedious
Specimen are collected at a designated area - 2x more sensitive than urine test
within the drug testing facility - Do not detect recent use
For all mandatory tests except for crime scene - Detects chronic substance abuse
and post accident - Requires 1.5x1.5 cm hair clump
- Not affected by drug abstinence
Remote Collection - Can determine temporal pattern
Specimens are collected at a temporary facility
located at a remote site. Blood Specimen
- Most expensive method
Remote Collection: Allowable Conditions - Most accurate method
Workplace, school, jail, prison or rehab centers - Least common method
o Random - Short detection time
o Follow-up - Procedure not established and standardized
o Reasonable suspicion
o Cause Saliva Specimen
Critically ill or disabled - Uncommon method
- Easy to administer
Secure permit from BHFS or CHD for remote
collection 10 working days prior to scheduled - Short detection time
collection - No reference standardized
No testing/examination to be done at a remote
Sweat (patch) Specimen
collection site
- Requires wearing of patch 1-2 weeks
- Uncommon methods
- No reference standards develop
COLLECTION SUPPLIES
- Surface contaminations can cause false positive
- Can detect use for extended period of time
Specimen Containers
Urine: 30 or 60 ml, polyethylene bottle wide
mouth with screw cap
Minimum Quantity of Specimen
Saliva: 30 ml polyethylene bottle
Scalp hair: 100mg or its equivalent
Blood: 10 ml plain test tube
Saliva: 2ml (single) 1.5 and 0.5 (split)
Hair: self sealed transparent plastic bag
Sweat: DOH cleared patch worn for 7-14 days
Sweat: BFAD approved sweat patch
Urine: 60ml single 30ml each for split sample
Tissues: screw capped plastic container
Blood: 5ml
Types of Specimen
Reasons for Drug Testing
Blood
1. Mandatory tests
Hair
2. Random tests
Saliva 3. Reasonable suspicion/cause
Sweat 4. Post accidents
Urine 5. Follow up, return to duty
Tissues 6. Pre-employment
Methods of Specimen Collection 8. Measure temperature, volume, inspect for
Observed collection adulteration and substitution. Fills up Step 2
o In the presence of ASC and initiates Step 3 of CCF
Unobserved collection 9. Closes, places and initials seal over the lid bottle
o In the absence of ASC in front of donor
o Submitted samples 10. Asks donor to fill up and sign Step 5
o Subject to validity tests

Types of Specimen Collection Forms of Tampering Specimen


Single specimen collection Dilution
- Specimen is entirely placed in a single Substitution
60ml bottle Adulteration
Split specimen collection
- Specimen is collected at same time but
placed in 2 separate containers at least Dilution Techniques
30ml each 1. Internal dilution:
- Drinking plenty of water
Preliminary procedures prior to collection - Diuretic like Lasix, Tea, Coffee, Beer
Verify identity of donor 2. External dilution:
Explain basic collection procedure - Addition of water to specimen
Answer questions regarding the procedure
Additives/Adulterants
Bleach
Donor Identification: Ammonia
Photo ID (drivers license, employee ID, Liquid soap
passport) Table salt
Identification by authorized agency Vinegar
representative Visine eye drops
Any other ID allowed by agencys workplace
drug testing plan
CUSTODY AND CONTROL FORMS (CCF)
Steps in collection
1. Check on supplies, security of collection area Custody and Control Forms
2. Check of ID of donor A form used to document the security of
3. Explains/answers questions about collection specimen
procedures o All steps of collection
4. Fills up step 1 of CCF o Persons who handled the specimen
5. Gives specimen bottle or asks donor to select o Status and integrity of specimen
specimen bottle from available supplies. Labels o Pertinent info
legibly A form document chain of custody from
6. Observes collection one at a time collection to transport, analysis and releasing of
o Close attention to collection reports
o Observe unusual behavior, if present Improper entries will invalidate testing
repeat under DIRECT OBSERVED
procedure
COLLECTION
7. Collector performs the ff: With legal an forensic implications
o Asks donor to remove outer garments 3 copies (px/employer, ASC, lab)
(coat)
o Examinees pockets etc for presence of
adulterants
o Asks donor to wash and dry hands
Data entries in CCF
Patient info: name, address, sex, etc.
Names, signature of handling specimen
Status of specimen: temp, physical appearance,
other remarks
Drug test requested
Result of test (screening/confirmatory/ NRL
level)

Storage of Specimen
Urine: -20 C
Scalp hair: cool and dry place
Saliva: deep frozen at least 8 to -10 C
Blood: separate serum and immediate freeze at
-20 C
Tissue: macerated and frozen

Specimen Retention
Negative result= 5days
Positive result= minimum of 15days
Adulterated, substituted, invalid result= 15 days
Judicial proceedings or upon request= up to a
year

Specimen rejection at collected site:


All rejected specimen shall be documented and
reported to the Head of the Laboratory (HOL)

Memorandum for Record (MFR)


- A record to document that recovery, corrective
and remedial measures to administrative errors
- Accomplished by ASC and other lab personnel
- Errors are not corrected by a MFR shall be
rejected or cancelled

The specimen collection is considered the weakest


link of the drug testing program. All efforts must be
done to make the collection legally, forensically and
technically indefensible.

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