OPAM Workshop: Medical Review Officer Training Course: Toxicology Testing and the MRO, A Physician's Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse-285274

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this session, Barry Sample provides an in-depth discussion on expanded drug testing beyond the standard "night of five" panel, focusing particularly on opioids, hallucinogens, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates. The presentation begins by highlighting the significant findings from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, revealing prevalent substance use patterns within the U.S., including high incidences of marijuana and opioid usage.<br /><br />Barry emphasizes the importance of detecting a wide array of substances through drug testing in workplace settings, particularly for safety-sensitive positions due to the cognitive and psychomotor impairments caused by drugs like opioids. He elaborates on the complexities and challenges of testing for various classes of substances, like opioids and benzodiazepines, and discusses the specificity and limitations of available testing technologies, including immunoassays and confirmatory methods like GC-MS and LC-MS-MS.<br /><br />He further addresses issues such as the evolving landscape of drug use (highlighting substances like fentanyl and synthetic cannabinoids), the potential for inadequate detection with current methods, and the need for policy adaptations to better align with modern substance abuse trends. The session underscores the necessity for employers to implement comprehensive drug testing to ensure workplace safety.

Keywords

drug testing

opioids

benzodiazepines

workplace safety

substance use

immunoassays

GC-MS

fentanyl