Benefits of Oral Fluids Testing vs. Other Drug Testing methods
No more urine collections
Observed collections without privacy issues
Can be performed on-site anytime and anywhere with immediate results
Non-invasive
Eliminates need for same-gender sample collections
Testing integrity (difficult to adulterate)
Results available in 10 minutes
No additional equipment
No operator training required
Complete testing kit includes all components for testing
Principle of the Test
The Multi Drug Test (Oral Fluid) is an immunoassay based on the principle of competitive binding. Drugs that may be present in the oral fluid specimen compete against their respective drug conjugate for binding sites on their specific antibody.
During testing, a portion of the oral fluid specimen migrates upward by capillary action. A drug, if present in the oral fluid specimen below its cut-off concentration, will not saturate the binding sites of its specific antibody. The antibody will then react with the drug-protein conjugate and a visible colored line will show up in the test line region of the specific drug strip. The presence of drug above the cut-off concentration in the oral fluid specimen will saturate all the binding sites of the antibody. Therefore, the colored line will not form in the test line region.
A drug-positive oral fluid specimen will not generate a colored line in the specific test line region of the strip because of drug competition, while a drug-negative oral fluid specimen will generate a line in the test line region because of the absence of drug competition.
To serve as a procedural control, a colored line will always appear at the control line region, indicating that proper volume of specimen has been added and membrane wicking has occurred.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
SPECIMEN
1. Q: How is the sample collected?
A. The donor actively swabs the inside of the mouth and the top of the tongue. As soon as the sponge softens slightly, gently press the sponge between the tongue and teeth to ensure complete saturation (about 3 minutes).
TEST DETECTION
1. Q: What drugs does the device detect and at what cutoffs?
A: Amphetamine, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Opiates, Marijuana, and Methadone.
Test
Calibrator
Cut-off
Amphetamine (AMP)
d-Amphetamine
50 ng/mL
Methamphetamine (MET)
d-Methamphetamine
50 ng/mL
Marijuana (THC)
THC-COOH
12 ng/mL
Cocaine (COC)
Benzoylecgonine
20 ng/mL
Opiates (OPI)
Morphine
40 ng/mL
2. Q: What is the detection window compared to other drug testing methods?
A: Saliva and blood have similar detection windows. Testing saliva/blood will detect drug use faster than testing urine. Saliva/blood may detect drug ingestion immediately while drug detection in urine may take 6-8 hours post ingestion.
3. Q: What is a lateral flow device?
A: The oral fluids test is based on competitive binding. Drugs that may be present in the oral fluid specimen compete against their respective drug conjugate for binding sites on their specific antibody. During testing, a portion of the oral fluid sample migrates across the membrane. If no drug is present above the cut-off, the sample will not saturate the binding sites of its specific antibody. The antibody will then react with the drug-protein conjugate and a visible colored line will show up in the test line region. The presence of a drug above the cut-off concentration will saturate all the binding sites of the antibody and a line will not form in the test region. The lateral flow is the migration and competition across the membrane.
4. Q: Does the test quantify the concentration of drugs present in the oral fluids sample?
A: A positive test result does not indicate the concentration of drug in the sample. All positive results are presumptive and should be confirmed by an alternate method (e.g. GC/MS or GC/MS/MS). Negative results may not necessarily indicate a drug-free sample. Drug may be present in the sample below the cutoff level of the assay.
TEST PROCEDURE
1. Q: If the donor has a dry mouth, can they have a drink of water?
A: Yes. A drink of water may be given to the donor. It is best to wait for about 10 minutes after the drink before attempting another collection.
2. Q: What type of drug testing is this test best for?
A: Everyone can benefit from using our oral fluids test device particularly workplace and criminal justice segments.
INTERPRETATION
1. Q: How do I know the test device is working properly?
A: A colored control line will be present if the test is working properly.
If a control line does not appear, repeat the test. Insufficient specimen volume or incorrect procedural techniques are most likely the reasons for control line failure. Review the procedure and repeat the test using a new device.
2. Q: Can the test be adulterated?
A: The test is virtually impossible to adulterate. Make sure the donor has not eaten or had anything to drink for a minimum of 10 minutes prior testing.
3. Q: How do I know if the test is negative?
A: Colored lines appear in the control line region (C) and next to each particular drug name in the test line region. The negative result indicates that the drug concentration is below the detectable level. The shade of color in the test line region will vary, but it should be considered negative wherever there is even a faint pink line.
4. Q: How do I know if the test is positive?
A: Colored lines appear in the control line region (C). No line appears in the test line region next to a particular drug name. This positive result indicates that the drug concentration is above the detectable level. All positive results are presumptive and should be confirmed by an alternate method (e.g. GC/MS or GC/MS/MS).
5. Q: What if the test line is very faint?
A: The shade of color in the test line region will vary, but it should be considered negative wherever there is even a faint pink line.
6. Q: What should I do if the test results indicate a positive?
A: Refer to your Drug Free Policy for guidance on this subject.
STORAGE
1. Q: What is the shelf life?
A: The test has a shelf life of 18 months.
2. Q: What is the storage temperature?
A: Store as packaged in the sealed pouch at 2-30°C (36-86°F)
If you are interested in bulk supplies, then contact us for prices at wholesale@accessdiagnostics.co.uk or give us a call on 01636 816 700