Tag: Forensic toxicology

In clinical and forensic settings, immunoassay is widely favored as a fast and cost-effective method for preliminary toxicology screenings, with some variations of the test providing results in just minutes. This technique is so commonplace that it is the answer to the question: **What is a commonly used screening technique in toxicology?**.

According to a 2024 survey, 82.4% of drug testing providers believe employees are actively working to bypass tests, often using sophisticated methods or substances designed to evade detection. This raises a crucial question for employers and individuals alike: What drugs can't be detected on a drug test, and why do standard screening methods have limitations?

In the U.S., medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people annually, with 7,000 to 9,000 deaths resulting from these mistakes [1.6.1, 1.6.5]. A key strategy in preventing these errors is understanding what is used to identify drugs accurately, a multi-faceted process combining visual inspection, standardized codes, and chemical analysis.

Immunoassay drug tests, the most common form of screening, can fail to detect a wide range of substances, leading many to question what drugs don't show up on a drug test. This occurs due to specific drug properties, testing panel limitations, and the rapid evolution of new chemical compounds. A simple negative result does not always mean a person is drug-free.