Effective April 1, 2017 BarnesCare will exclusively use the Intercept Oral Fluid Drug Test for all non-DOT tests that require a witnessed collection. The oral fluid test will become BarnesCare’s standard testing method for all non-DOT witnessed testing, eliminating the need for a same-sex observer, which is required for urine collections.
About Oral Fluid Testing
BarnesCare utilizes a FDA-cleared, laboratory-based, oral fluid drug testing system that delivers proven laboratory reliability and accuracy comparable to urine testing. All oral fluid testing is performed by the donor in the presence of an observer. The collection process just takes a few minutes with negative results available from the testing laboratory the next day and confirmed positives reported within 48-72 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which drugs can you detect in oral fluid?
Oral fluid testing enables accurate testing for drugs of abuse, including marijuana, cocaine, PCP, opiates and amphetamines – including ecstasy, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and methadone. Contact a BarnesCare team member to set up a specific panel or combination that works for your testing program.
2. How does the detection window for oral fluid testing compare with other methods?
Just like traditional urine testing, the window in oral fluid testing is different for each drug. However, unlike urine testing, oral fluid testing can be used to identify recent usage -- during the first four hours after drug use. For most drugs, the window of detection in oral fluid is about one to three days. By contrast, urine testing relies on drug metabolites retained in the body's waste supply and may detect some drugs for a longer period.
3. What detection methodology do you employ?
Oral fluid samples are first screened at a testing laboratory using enzyme immunoassay technology, which has proven reliable for routine drug testing. Any samples that test positive in the screening process are then subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS), the latest, most sensitive method in drug confirmation technology.
4. How are test results reported?
Results can be reported in a variety of ways, including secure Internet connection.
5. Can an oral fluid test be beaten?
We have studied a wide range of adulterants and have not found any that can beat our test. Donors may attempt, but the risk of attempting to introduce something onto the pad or collection vial is highly unlikely since every collection is directly observed.
6. Who collects the sample?
The donor collects his or her own sample under direct visual supervision by placing the collection pad in his or her cheek and gum for five minutes. Once the absorbent collection pad is saturated, the donor places it in a vial, which is then sealed and initialed. The entire process takes around seven minutes.
7. What is the turnaround time?
BarnesCare sends samples via overnight courier to our lab, which tests them the day they arrive and reports negative results by early afternoon. Positive results are confirmed, reviewed and reported within 48 hours of receipt.
8. Is oral fluid a hazardous fluid?
No. Because the testing methodology is not classified as a "dental process," OSHA does not consider oral fluid collections hazardous. In addition, oral fluid specimens are not subject to the same handling and disposal issues that accompany other body fluids.
9. How do you know if you have enough sample to test?
If the donor keeps the collection pad in his or her mouth for at least five minutes, as indicated on the package instructions, there is enough to test. The collection pad is treated with salts to stimulate oral fluid secretion, making the process very reliable. In fact, in a comprehensive study, only 1 in 10,000 samples were reported as insufficient for testing.
To learn more or to arrange for services, contact a BarnesCare team member at 314-747-5859.