SECTION 310:638-5-4. Methods of analysis and specimen storage

(a)   Methods of analysis.

(1)   Licensed drug screen testing facilities shall have the capability of performing initial screening for the following classes of drugs or their metabolites: marijuana and cocaine, using an immunoassay which meets the requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration for commercial distribution or another approved screening procedure or if prepared in-house by the testing facility, documented evidence shall exist indicating that the antibody meets acceptable performance criteria.

(2)   Initial screening shall be completed within forty-eight (48) hours following receipt of the specimen by the testing facility. If the initial screening cannot be completed within forty-eight (48) hours, the specimen shall not be accepted or shall be sent to another testing facility for screening.

(3)   If the drug screen testing facility is not certified for forensic urine drug testing by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or accredited for forensic urine drug testing by the College of American Pathologists all specimens that do not test negative shall be forwarded to an appropriate testing facility for confirmation.

(4)   All confirmatory urine or saliva drug testing shall be performed by a testing facility that is certified for forensic urine drug testing by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or accredited for forensic urine drug testing by the College of American Pathologists.

(5)   No positive urine or saliva drug screen shall be reported to the Review Officer until the positive initial screen has been confirmed as required. If the employer operates a drug screen testing facility, the employer shall not base any employment decision on a positive urine drug screen until the positive initial test has been confirmed and reviewed.

(6)   No positive hair drug screen shall be reported to the Review Officer until the positive initial screen has been decontaminated and confirmed by the same laboratory.

(b)   Specimen storage.

(1)   Urine specimens that do not receive an initial test within twenty-four (24) hours of arrival at the drug screen testing facility shall be placed in secure refrigeration units where the temperatures do not exceed 6°C. Urine testing facilities shall have emergency power equipment or other appropriate storage shall be available in case of a prolonged power failure.

(2)   The drug screen testing facility shall log in the split specimen, with the split specimen bottle seal remaining intact. The drug screen testing facility shall store this sample securely as in 310:638-5-4(b)(1).

(3)   If the result of the primary specimen is negative, the drug screen testing facility may discard the split specimen. If the result of the test of the primary specimen is positive, the drug screen testing facility shall forward the split specimen, using appropriate chain of custody procedures, to a qualified testing facility for confirmation testing. The drug screen testing facility shall ensure the confirmatory testing facility retains the split specimen in properly secured frozen storage (-20°C or less) for a minimum of one (1) year.

(4)   Because some analytes deteriorate or are lost during freezing and/or storage, quantitation for a retest is not subject to a specific cutoff requirement but must provide data sufficient to confirm the presence of the drug or metabolite.

(5)   Saliva specimens shall be stored and transported as required by the manufacturer of the collection device.

[Source: Added at 11 Ok Reg 4339, eff 7-14-94 (emergency); Added at 12 Ok Reg 517, eff 12-12-94 (emergency); Added at 12 Ok Reg 3069, eff 7-27-95; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 381, eff 11-1-99 (emergency); Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2045, eff 6-12-00; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1183, eff 4-2-07 (emergency); Amended at 25 Ok Reg 2436, eff 7-11-08]