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Types of Point of Care Drug Testing Cups
The dependability of any laboratory or specimen findings depends on many factors. This is particularly true in the world of drug testing where the results can have profound outcome in a person's career or life.
Some of these factors include:
- How fresh the sample is. A urine sample for example must be as fresh as possible. A fresh urine sample is more likely to give an accurate picture of the true state of the body or substance an administrator is looking for.
- Contamination-proof. An effective collection method should be in such a way that the specimen provider or any other person cannot whatsoever, contaminate the specimen during donation or later.
- Easy transportation. Should the need arise; a good drug testing cup should be such that it is impossible to tamper with it along the way.
- Light protected. Light is a form of energy that can degraded specimens if left exposed for long. A good cup should be made in such a way that this is not likely to happen.
- Good cups must be chemical resistant so that they don't leach any substances that can adulterate the specimen.
- Since point of care drug testing may be away from a conventional laboratory setting, a good specimen collection cup should be usable at room temperature.
- The result should be out in as short time as possible and yet be reliable.
- Interpreting the results should be easy for both the administrator of the test and the one being checked.
- Glasses may be more environmentally friendly but the risk of breakage disqualifies them for making good cups. Unbreakable single use plastic bottles are recommended.
- For quality control, dependable cups should be approved by relevant bodies such as the FDA.
- The cup should be able to give results for commonly abused drugs and other substances.
Specimen Collection Cups
The meaning of various terms describing point of care drug testing cups
A drug testing cup is described according to the number of results it can give. Examples:
10 panel cup
This means that a specimen collected in such a cup will reveal 10 possible findings from that specimen. These are usually indicated in initials form. The following are common initials shown in a 10 panel cup and their meaning:
- AMP - Amphetamine
- MTD - Methadone
- MET - Methamphetamines
- THC - Marijuana
- OPI - Opiates
- OXY- Oxycodone
- PPX - Propoxyphene
- BAR - Barbiturates
- BZO / BZD - Benzodiazepines
- COC - Cocaine
10 Panel Collection Cups
10 panel point of care drug testing cup WITH adulterants
In this type of cup in addition to ability to discover some of the above substances in a urine specimen, it can determine whether commonly used substances to influence results have been used. These may include:
- MDMA - Methlenedioxymethamphetamine
- OX - Oxidants
- S.G - pecific gravity
- PH - acidity or alkalinity of the sample
10 Panel Collection Cups
14 panel point of care drug testing cup
This is an ideal choice of testing cup because it gives even more results where more substances are more likely to be abused. In addition to those substances already discussed, it will also reveal the presence of the following:
- TCA - Tricyclic antidepressants
- BUP - Buprenorphine
- PCP - Phencyclidine
Some models of a 14 panel point of care drug testing cup have the option of chemical for testing for adulteration incorporated. This makes it much easier for all concerned since only one specimen is taken.
An ideal point of care drug testing cup should be an all-in-one cup that meets the requirements of what is expected from the collected specimen at that particular moment.
14 Panel Collection Cups
View All Panel and Specimen Collection Cups