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Are 5-Panel Drug Tests Accurate?

5- and 10-panel drug tests

The 5-panel drug test is the most common type of drug test used by both individuals and employers in the United States. It is especially popular among employers who want to institute a reliable drug testing program to test job candidates before hiring them. It is also the test of choice for institutions and non-regulated companies that choose to conduct random drug testing of their employees.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about 5- and 10-panel drug tests, including how accurate their results are, what types of drugs are detected, and more.

Table of Contents:

What are 5-Panel Drug Tests?

A 5-panel drug test is an easy and economical way for individuals, employers, healthcare facilities, and other entities to test someone for the five most common illicit drugs used in the United States as well as alcohol. This type of test can be performed using either an individual’s urine or saliva and the results can be obtained usually in less than five minutes.

 

What are 10-Panel Drug Tests?

Like a 5-panel drug test, a 10-panel drug test also detects the five most common illicit drugs used in the United States, as well as the five most common misused prescription drugs. However, unlike the 5-panel tests, 10-panel tests do not detect alcohol.

 

Comprehensive Guide to 5- and 10-Panel Drug Tests

How Does an At-Home Drug Test Work?

Panel drug tests detect trace amounts of drugs or their metabolites in urine, blood, hair, or saliva samples. Depending on the drugs being tested for, certain sample types may be preferable over others. For instance, while most drugs leave measurable traces in urine, saliva, and blood for up to 72 hours after ingestion, cannabis traces can be detected in hair for up to three months after usage.

At-home drug testing kits usually include a sample collection cup, the drug test (depending on the test it may be test strips, a test card, a test cassette, or other method for testing the urine), and instructions. Before the sample is collected and the test is administered, the person conducting the test must read and understand the instructions first because the result must be visually read within a certain number of minutes after the test is started.

Here is a basic guideline for how these tests work:

  1. Urine is collected in the sample collection cup, which also contains certain chemicals
  2. The testing medium is applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the chemicals combined with the urine will cause a reaction in the medium
  3. If the test indicates the presence of one or more drugs, then this is usually noted by a color change on the testing medium, with the color indicating which drug (or drugs) is detected
  4. If one or more drugs are detected, then the sample should be sent to a laboratory where a more sophisticated chemical test can be performed to obtain a final result

 

At-Home Drug Testing FAQs

The following questions are some of the most frequently asked about rapid drug testing.

 

How Long Does an At-Home Drug Test Take?

Comprehensive Guide to 5- and 10-Panel Drug Tests

These types of drug tests are often called “rapid” or “instant” drug tests because they can produce accurate results usually within five minutes or less. However, if the sample needs to be sent to a laboratory for further analysis, then the results can usually be expected back within 24 hours in most cases.

 

What Drugs Are Detected With 5-Panel Drug Tests?

A 5-panel drug test is designed to detect the five most common illicit drugs used in the United States, as well as alcohol. These drugs are what are known as recreational “street” drugs because they are not prescribed by a doctor and they include:

  • Marijuana/Cannabis (aka THC, weed, dope, grass, herb, pot)
  • Cocaine (aka COC, crack, blow)
  • Opiates (aka OPI, heroin, opium, codeine, morphine)
  • Amphetamines (aka AMP, methamphetamine, dexamphetamine, meth, crystal meth)
  • Phencyclidine (aka PCP, angel dust)

 

What Drugs Are Detected With 10-Panel Drug Tests?

A 10-panel drug test screens for the following drug types:

  • Amphetamines
  • Cocaine
  • Marijuana
  • Opiates
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)
  • Barbiturates
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Propoxyphene
  • Methadone
  • Methaqualone (Quaaludes)

A 10-panel drug screen is most commonly administered using an individual’s urine as the sample, but it can also be administered using sweat, hair, blood, or saliva. Alcohol is not detectable with most standard 10-panel drug tests.

 

Is a Mouth Swab Drug Test as Accurate as a Urine Test?

While mouth swab drug testing produces reliably accurate results, drug tests that utilize urine samples are more likely to detect overall substance use. Blood samples remain the most accurate form of drug testing, but because it is expensive, invasive, and time-intensive. As a result, urine is considered a suitable alternative because it delivers highly accurate results (greater than 99% accuracy) in mere minutes at a fraction of the cost.

 

How are Drug Test Results Reported?

Regardless of the type of sample being used for testing, the results of a panel drug test are usually reported as one of the following:

  • Negative: A Negative reading means that either a drug wasn’t detected in the sample provided or a positive result but the individual being tested has a prescription for the drug.
  • Positive: A Positive reading means that there was a drug was detected at or above the test cutoff concentration or the candidate doesn’t have a matching prescription.
  • Inconclusive: Inconclusive results can come in different forms. For instance, in cases where the urine sample is diluted, substituted, or has an abnormal PH, the results can often come back as inconclusive. Employers usually ask individuals to retake the test after receiving an inconclusive result.

 

How Far Back Can a 5- or 10-Panel Drug Test Detect Drugs?

Most drugs have a testing window in which they are detectable by drug testing kits, however, that window can be different depending on the type of sample being tested as well as the drug, dosage, duration of its use, and the metabolism of the individual being tested. The following shows how far back a 5- or 10-panel drug test can generally detect a given drug:

  • Amphetamines: 1 to 3 days
  • Cocaine: 2 to 4 days
  • Marijuana: 2 to 5 days for occasional users, and up to 10 days for daily users
  • Opiates: 2 to 3 days
  • Phencyclidine (PCP): Up to 30 days for chronic users
  • Barbiturates: Anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks depending on whether the barbiturate used is short- or long-acting
  • Benzodiazepines: Up to 6 weeks for chronic users
  • Propoxyphene: Up to 2 days
  • Methadone: For about 3 days
  • Methaqualone: For about 2 weeks

 

Can a 5-panel Drug Test Produce a False Positive?

Urine drug tests are very reliable but in some rare cases, their sensitivity can occasionally produce a false positive. For instance, there are many prescribed medications that when taken in accordance with a doctor’s prescribed dosage and frequency can potentially cause a positive result in a drug screening test, including:

  • Dextromethorphan (Robitussin and other cough suppressants): Can show false positive for PCP
  • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl and other antihistamines): Can show false positive for PCP
  • NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, etc.): Can show false positives for barbiturates or THC
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed and other decongestants): Can show false positive for methamphetamine
  • Phentermine (Adipex-P): can show false positive for amphetamine
  • Certain Antidepressants (Trazodone, Sertraline, Bupropion, etc.): Can show false positives for amphetamine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, or THC
  • Quetiapine (Seroquel): Can show false positive for methadone
  • Pantoprazole (Protonix): Can show false positive for THC
  • Quinolone Antibiotics (Levaquin, Ofloxacin, etc.): Can show false positive for opioids, amphetamine, or methamphetamine
  • Promethazine: Can show false positive for amphetamine or methamphetamine
  • Tramadol: Can show false positive for methadone or PCP
  • Doxycycline: Can show false positive for methadone

In some cases, certain foods can also trigger a false positive, like poppy seeds, hemp seeds, coca tea, tonic water, and more.

 

What are the Main Benefits of a Mouth Swab Drug Test?

When a mouth swab drug test is performed correctly, the results can be very accurate, as high as 97.5%. But besides that, there are several other benefits that can make this type of drug testing option very attractive over other types.

For one, mouth swab drug tests are cost-effective. These tests are also quick to administer, non-invasive, and more difficult for the individuals being tested to interfere with the test or results. Mouth swab tests are usually among the best options for detecting recent drug use.

 

Can I Self-Administer My Drug Testing?

The individual being tested should never administer or perform their own testing. Doing so would negate the validity of the results. Drug tests should only be administered by trained personnel in a clean environment using the appropriate equipment.

 

How Often Should Drug Testing Be Performed?

The frequency with which drug testing should be performed depends on the reason why the drug test is being administered. For instance, in hiring circumstances, a job candidate usually receives one drug test (unless their result comes back inconclusive). Meanwhile, some employers may choose to perform random drug screenings of their employees. In this type of case, the tests are usually administered quarterly on a randomly selected day with randomly selected employees.

 

Are At-Home Drug Tests Covered by Insurance?

No, most health insurance providers do not cover at-home drug testing kits and supplies. However, it is always recommended to speak to your insurance provider as coverage plans change regularly.

 

Who is the Ideal Customer for Drug Testing Kits?

Any employer who wants to screen their new hire candidates and/or employees for drug or alcohol use is an ideal customer for purchasing drug testing kits. Industries in which drug testing is performed with regularity include:

  • Law enforcement and security
  • Government
  • Transportation
  • Aerospace
  • Education
  • Defense
  • Information technology
  • Construction

 

Who Manufactures Urine and Mouth Swab Drug Tests?

Where drug testing is concerned, the quality of the test being used matters because the results can have such an important and lasting effect on an individual’s life. With so much on the line, you want to ensure that you are administering 5 or 10-panel drug tests that are manufactured by a company that takes their product’s quality very seriously.

National Medical Resources, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of drug testing supplies. We strive to provide the highest quality medical products and services available, and our partnered pharmacies practice quality assurance measures that are designed to ensure that all ingredients utilized in the production of our solutions are from the highest standard raw material sourcing available on the market. As a result, our pharmacies meet or exceed national standards for sterile products.

 

Where to Buy Wholesale Alcohol and Drug Testing Supplies

National Medical Resources, Inc. offers alcohol and drug screening devices and services that complement industry best practices, and enable you to implement a successful testing program. We make it easy to buy high-quality alcohol and drug testing supplies in bulk and at wholesale prices. If you are in or around Birmingham, Alabama, you can call our local phone number at 205-421-9702. Or if you are outside of Birmingham, then you can use toll-free at 1-877-262-0836. We are licensed to ship to most states.

You can also submit an online contact form by clicking here, and one of our sales representatives will contact you directly. When filling out the contact form, please indicate what state you’re ordering from, so our representative can send you the proper ordering information for your state.

 

Summary

Rapid and reliable drug and alcohol screening devices allow employers to make fast and informed decisions about substance abuse issues. These issues are essential because making the wrong decision could compromise employee safety, as well as productivity.

At National Medical Resources, Inc., our drug testing products give you the flexibility to test from 1 to 14 drugs of abuse simultaneously. Not only are our tests reliable, but they can produce accurate results usually within 5 minutes.

Whether you want to test for the five most common illicit drugs, alcohol, or a wider combination of substances including the most often misused prescription drugs, then you will find National Medical Resources, Inc. has the tests and supplies you need to start an effective and efficient drug screening program.

We hope this guide to 5- and 10-panel drug tests has provided you with the information you need to make the best decision for your testing and compliance needs. Or, if you’re an employer who is looking to start your own in-house drug screening program, then contact us today to get on board. We can even help you establish your program.