What is DRUG OF ABUSE ( DOA ) PANEL - 10 DRUGS, URINE?

Simply put, a 10-panel drug test is an employment screening device that checks the applicant for various drugs. This test typically looks for several drugs. Some of the most common to look for are cocaine, marijuana, PCP, amphetamines, opiates, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone, propoxyphene, and quaaludes. However, employers can decide which drugs they’d like to test for.

These drugs are among the most common to be tested. This is because they’re all a part of the most commonly misused drugs.

One place of works list may completely differ from another. One employer may not test for marijuana but wants to test for prescription painkillers or ecstasy, for example. The only thing that makes a 10-panel test a 10-panel test is that it looks for 10 different drugs in the applicants’ system.

How do a 10-panel drug test and a 5-panel test differ?

The 10-panel test also is typically used as an augmentation to the 5-panel test. In the 5-panel test, the biggest areas of concern are illicit drugs. The 10-panels tests typically include five more commonly abused prescription drugs.

Employers can have the test check for any legal or illegal substance, including legitimately prescribed medication. This is because prescribed medications can be abused by those without proper medical reasons. Test for it, if it comes up, you can ask the applicant to explain the result.

Just about any bodily fluid or DNA marker could be tested. You could do a blood or hair analysis, but urine tests tend to be the standard.

How accurate is a 10-panel drug test?

This test has a high degree of accuracy when determining whether an applicant's system has metabolized any of the drugs. For tests that also include alcohol, you can determine impairment at the time of testing. You have to test by the blood or breath for this. For drug use, testing via blood isn’t as certain as a urine test.

Urine tests’ biggest drawback is that they cannot determine impairment at the time of the test. However, drugs stay in the system longer via urine than blood. Therefore, testing via this method gives better results for general use.