New American Toxicology Sign for Sunrise Office

It used to be that nearly 80% of our phone calls during the day were in regards to directions to our office.  Since we have installed the new sign on the building we have noticed a dramatic decrease in phone calls for directions only.... now we are probably about 60% of the phone calls are about directions.  But, that's alright, we welcome the phone calls : )   My opinion:  Everyone (who has a job) should have a smart phone.  They make life so much easier.

Find us at: 3340 Sunrise Ave Suite 105
                 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101

Pass Your Hair Follicle Drug Test

PassYourDrugTest.com claims that they can help you pass your hair follicle drug test. The following is an excerpt from their site:

"Want to know how to pass a hair drug test? While no method is full proof, the ability to pass a hair drug test is possible."

American Toxicology Inc. gladly welcomes any challenge on any product that claims to be able to mask your Hair Follicle drug testing kit.

If you really think your methods will work, send us a sample of your product!

595 East Brooks Ste #313
N. Las Vegas NV 89030

or email us any time!

Why a Medical Review Officer (MRO) may not be beneficial to the employer.

By: Dan R. Berkabile

Nevada law requires any laboratory that tests human biological specimens to be regulated by the State as a medical laboratory. As such, the laboratory is required to report the results of its testing in a prescribed manner. For drug testing, the report must list the drugs screened for and their cutoff levels. Drugs reported positive or negative must refer to this list on the report. If the prescribed medication accounts for a drug reported positive, it can be noted on the report as, “the drug identified is consistent with prescribed medication, or language similar to this. Additional information may be given.

MRO’s are mandatory in federal drug testing. They are optional in private drug testing. I suppose private employers pay the additional const for a MRO thinking it will reduce their liability, not believing that following state guidelines is as sage. However, it must be remembered that the State is regulating their testing anyway.

In using the MRO, if an applicant was taking prescribed medication equal to a positive finding, the MRO would report the results to the employer as negative. The applicant would be hired without any knowledge to the employer about the prescription. The employer would have to depend entirely upon the applicant to reveal any possible interference the prescription medication may have on job performance and safety.

However, without the MRO, the laboratory report goes directly to the employer and none of this would be a concern. The notation on the report already shows that the laboratory conducted a medical review under its laboratory director a pathologist. The report would also be received sooner by the employer.

It is true that prescription medications are confidential. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) stresses this. However, I believe the intent of ADA is not directed so much toward abused drugs typical in pre-employment drug screening. If a person has a prescription for one of the abused drugs, I believe the employer should know about it. The possibilities are codeine, amphetamine, methamphetamine (speed), morphine (metabolite of heroin), and more recently, marijuana. (A good question would be: would a MRO exclude a positive finding for marijuana if the person showed that a doctor prescribed it?)

In the latest Nevada legislative session, a representative of a large labor union testified before a senate subcommittee concerning the passage of a proposed drug testing bill. I was presenting during this meeting. The following is a word by word transcription from public records of the portion of this individual’s testimony concerning medical review officers:

“We believe that in using a lab such as (the lab was named), thy have qualified people on staff including medical officer (I believe the meaning here is medical doctor or pathologist), and when we get the test results back from the lab, they have done their primary test, they have done their confirming test, they have looked at that, and any test that we have ever had challenged by an employee, and they have that option to challenge a test, not to retest, but to challenge it, have always come back in the positive. My concern would be if we were to interpret that MRO must be used one hundred percent of the time, we’re going to add an expense for that MRO testing. As an example, in one case lab charges an addition al $6.00 to have every test result review by an MRO. Additionally, if it’s post testing, now we’re adding time on that we’re going to have somebody out of a job until we get the test results back. Whatever that time may be, hours or days, it’s additional exposure to injury.” (The last sentence refers to a person remaining on the job.) The individual further mentioned the delay that MRO review brings about in hiring new workers.

In Nevada, a laboratory that performs drug testing must be licensed as a clinical laboratory. As such, the laboratory is directed by a licensed pathologist who is responsible for all results reported by the laboratory. Under these regulations another doctor in the system going over results is not necessary, and is only a waste of time and money, as the labor representative above explained.

Dan R. Berkabile

Forensic Chemist

Certifications and Accreditations

State of Nevada Licensed Laboratory Director, Gary Telgenhoff, M.S., D.O., is a board certified forensic and anatomical pathologist who serves as ATI’s Lab director. Additionally, ATI holds the following licenses, and permits:

• State of Nevada Licensed Laboratory
  
  
• Nevada State Corporation
  
  
• City of North Las Vegas Business License
  
  
• City of Las Vegas Business License
  
  
• City of Reno Business License
  
  
• Arizona State Corporation
  
  
• City of Bullhead Business License

American Toxicology Mapped Locations

For Maps and directions to American Toxicology collection sites click on the links below.

North Side

South Side

East Side

Bullhead City

Reno

Hair Testing and Urine Testing

Urine has always been an effective method of drug testing. However the test typically only reaches as far back as 9 to 10 days. On the other hand, Hair Testing can detect past months of usage.

The results below are based on companies of varying sizes and show the difference in the testing of urine and hair. American Toxicology believes that the best fingerprint of drug use is obtained by testing both hair and urine. The following illustrates the comparisons between hair and urine testing of four of our clients.

Company 1: # of total tests: 10,558

Drug……………….Pos/Urine…………..Pos/Hair
Amphetamines…………29…………………….158
Cocaine………………...256…………………...730
Heroin………………….0………………………...0
PCP…………………….1………………………...2

Company 2: # of total tests: 3,953

Drug……………….Pos/Urine…………..Pos/Hair
Amphetamines…………12………………………50
Cocaine………………...11…………………........28
Heroin………………….1…………………….…...1
PCP…………………….0………………………....0

Company 3: # of total tests: 209

Drug……………….Pos/Urine…………..Pos/Hair
Amphetamines…………0………………………....3
Cocaine………………...1…………………............7
Heroin………………….0…………………….…...1
PCP…………………….0………………………....0

Company 4: # of total tests: 52

Drug……………….Pos/Urine…………..Pos/Hair
Amphetamines…………0…………………………1
Cocaine………………...1…………………............3
Heroin………………….0………………………....0
PCP…………………….0………………………....0

Results indicate that hair and urine testing is far superior tot urine testing alone in identifying drug users attempting to become employed. Over 2/3 of the applicants testing positive by hair would have passed the urine test and became part of the employee population. Marijuana is not shown in this example because it is best detected in the urine.

Because it takes approximately a week for ingested drugs to show up in hair above the scalp, American Toxicology strongly suggests using both urine & hair testing for a complete history of drug usage to help maintain a drug-free work environment. Studies continue to show that marijuana (THC) is best detected in urine. THC is a fat soluble drug that stays in the body much longer than any of the hard drugs. As a result, the body will shed THC for weeks or even months. Once again, for optimal results American Toxicology strongly recommends a Hair & Urine test for all clients.

American Toxicology is proud of what we have to offer our clients. Below is just a few of these things:

Locally owned and operated

Minority owned

25 years of service

In by ten out by four (At our Sunrise location)

Urine testing

Hair testing (we normally go back 90 days but can go back farther upon request)

24 hour turn-around time on negatives

48 hour turn-around time on positives

Job fairs at no extra charge

MRO Service at no extra charge

Expert witness service at no extra charge

Random drug testing program

Post accident/Probable cause testing

Complete confidentially

No hidden charges

Results faxed, called, mailed or delivered by courier

Licensed and certified by the State of Nevada

We are the only exclusive drug testing Laboratory in the State of Nevada. Our in office waiting time is very minimal

Drug Detection through Hair Testing

Hair testing is considered accurate and can go back as far as 90 days.^{[citation needed]} As hair grows out, any drugs used are encased in the hair shaft, so the longer the hair, the more time back in the individual's drug history the laboratory can detect. Human hair grows an average of .5 inches/month, which corresponds to 30 days of possible drug testing for every .5 inch. Testing laboratories generally require 1.5 inches for testing. This means they can test for around 90 days of drug use. This time period depends upon the rate at which the individual's hair grows of course. Some people attempt to circumvent this through shaving their heads. This does not usually work. In the absence of the required amount of hair on the scalp, body hair can be used as an acceptable substitute. If all hair is shaven, the follicles of the hair may be used in place of the hair. Removing the hair follicles is more painful.

Additionally for pre-employment hair testing, the inability to obtain a sample may be grounds for not hiring the individual. Hair Testing labs are regulated by CLIA or SAMHSA (not FDA). There is a growing trend in major companies and law enforcement agencies to utilize hair analysis on account of its efficiency and reputation as the gold standard when considering test accuracy. This technology makes use of radioimmunoassay or the more modern ELISA technology with subsequent confirmation by mass spectrometry.

In recent years, hair testing has been the subject of a number of lawsuits. Studies have shown that different ethnic groups have different hair structure, potentially leading to false positives^{[citation needed]}. Shampoos are available to help you pass but you would have to shave your legs and body hair to make sure they take a sample from your head.

This helpful information about drug detection through the use of hair testing was provided by wikipedia.

American Toxicology is a full service drug testing laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are only a hand full of laboratories in the nation that have the abilities to accurately preform the hair test, and we are one of them!

Urine Drug Testing

This procedure requires that one provide a sample of urine. Either a test card is used on site for immediate results (see "General" section), or the sample is sent away to a lab to undergo gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (also known as GCMS), high performance liquid chromatography or immunoassay analysis. The majority of tests administered in pre-hire and even most probate scenarios are of the immediate, and less accurate "at home" variety. Most "dip stick" type tests have higher thresholds for a positive than do the GCMS tests. If a positive result (drug presence indicated) is found, the sample is usually sent to a lab for GCMS confirmation. This is largely due to the costliness of GCMS labaratory testing and time it takes to process and receive results. The results of any urine test reflect factors including, but not limited to age, weight, race, and often these factors are what determines whether the test is valid or not.

The efficacy of urine testing is debatable due to systematic cheating. It is widely reported that sample substitution and adulteration occur frequently, and both are effective methods of avoiding would-be positive tests. There are a number of adulterant "masking" agents that are sold, though they are often nothing more than a simple diuretic and are rarely more effective than caffeine. Some people drink copious amounts of water to successfully dilute the concentration of drug metabolites in their urine below detectable thresholds. Often this results in clear samples that may be rejected on the grounds of being too dilute, although a complex B vitamin will make urine yellow despite this practice of waterloading. Specific gravity testing can be done to identify whether or not the sample is of dilute nature, though this is used infrequently on otherwise inconspicuous samples. The substance Niacin is also frequently used for its reported "flushing" effect, though this is also of disputable adeptness. Some types of urinalysis can detect the use of these "detox" products, though they are rarely used unless some facet of the sample is suspicious. Also, the wide availability of at home drug screens allows an individual to take their own test before they receive one, thus knowing the results ahead of time- giving the user further opportunity to dilute the sample or to find a substitute.

This helpful information was provided to us by Wikipedia.

American Toxicology is a full service drug testing laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada. We are proud of our excellent service and our quality results. With our new online reporting we are able to provide results same day (for locals) within 2-6 hours!

Helpful Links on Drug Testing from Wikipedia

Drug test

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

For the episode of the American television series The Office, see "Drug Testing".

A drug test is commonly a technical examination of urine, blood, semen, sweat, or oral fluid samples to determine the presence or absence of specified drugs or their metabolized traces.

Contents [hide] 1 General information about drug testing in the USA 2 Detection periods 3 Common types of drug tests 3.1 Urine drug screen 3.2 Hair drug testing 3.3 Hair alcohol testing 3.4 Saliva drug screen / Oral fluid-based drug screen 3.5 Sweat drug screen 4 Drug testing methodologies 5 Types of testing 5.1 Pre-employment drug testing 5.2 Random drug testing 5.3 Post-incident drug testing 6 Drug testing methods 6.1 Urine drug testing 6.2 Saliva drug testing 6.3 Spray (sweat) drug testing 6.4 Hair drug testing 7 Legality and ethics of mandatory drugs testing 7.1 United Kingdom 8 See also 9 External links 10 References

See also

• Urinalysis
• School district drug policies
• Equine drug testing

[edit] External links

• US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Website
• US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Website
• Marijuana Detection Time Shorter Than Previously Assumed
• What You Need to Know about Drug Testing Methods
• The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
• A Political History of White House Drug Policy
• Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12564
• The (US) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• Pass Drug Tests
• European Workplace Drug Testing Society
• European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
• The Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association
• Erowid Drug Testing Information
• How to Pass Drug Tests

[edit] References

1. ^ "Drugs of Abuse Reference Guide," LabCorp Inc, Retrieved online April 11, 2007.
2. ^ Federal Court Drug-Testing Device Under Fire, PharmChem Sweat Patch May Be "Too Good" (2001-01-05).
3. ^ Jim Barlow. "A Little Dab Will Do It", LASNews, University of Illinois, November 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
4. ^ Drug testing in the workplace: Summary conclusions of the Independent Inquiry into Drug Testing at Work. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_test"

Categories: Drug control law | Doping | Tests

Reporting and Information Systems

American Toxicology utilizes a modern IT system for its reporting and information systems. A server is housed at the Lab, and all information germane to the testing process is entered at the Lab Technician’s work station. The IT system is secure, and only a small number of American Toxicology employees are authorized, and have access to the information contained there. Our effectiveness is demonstrated by the successful transmittal of necessary information to its clients as currently provided. Additionally we are proud to announce, on June 1st, 2007 we will be initiating a new website with online requisitions and online reporting available to our clients at their own option. There is no additional charge for this service.