Accuracy, Sensitivity and Specificity of COVID Testing In previous blog articles we have discussed how the accuracy of drug test kits is measured. We’ve discussed the concepts of specificity and sensitivity and how they relate to overall accuracy. Given the current intense interest in COVID testing, including the newer antigen tests, we thought it would […]

Oregon Decriminalizes Drug Possession. On November 3, 2020, voters in Oregon voted Yes on Proposition 110 to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of hard drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The measure, which passed with 60% of the vote, makes possession of small amounts of drugs a civil offense similar to a traffic ticket. […]

What do I do if the Custody Control Form seals tear? It is not uncommon for the tamper evident seals on the Custody Control Form to tear when removing them from the CCF or applying them to the specimen vials. So, what do you do if the tamper seals from the CCF tear?  There are […]

Should I perform DOT drug and alcohol testing during COVID-19? Since states began re-opening, we have fielded the question, “should I perform DOT drug and alcohol testing during COVID-19?” For a myriad of reasons, we cannot advise you and your business what to do in this circumstance. And everyone’s situation is different. However, we can […]

New Virtual Probation Technology Helps Curb Coronavirus Spread Many people are currently working remotely from home to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, using new and existing cloud-based technologies to facilitate daily work-related tasks. But how do you use remote work-related technologies if your business is probation supervision, which historically centers on interpersonal interactions? Dale […]

Drug and Alcohol Testing Precautions Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic Numerous articles can be found about public precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak, but I have only been able to find a few articles addressing clinician precautions.  The clinician-focused articles I have found thus far address specific precautions when administrating healthcare or dental services to a patient […]

Will mouthwash interfere with the results of a breath alcohol test? This question is often posed during one of our training classes. Enough so that we spend time demonstrating the effects of what we call residual mouth alcohol, so that alcohol testing technicians are adequately prepared when they encounter a situation where a subject claims […]

EBT Calibration: The most misunderstood term in breath alcohol testing One of the most important responsibilities of a Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) is to ensure that the Evidential Breath Tester (EBT) they use gives accurate results that can be relied upon.  Every student that we train as a BAT receives training in how to check […]

CDL Clearinghouse is Here: What Collectors and Alcohol Testing Technicians Must Do A couple of months ago we wrote about the new CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, touching on some of the responsibilities of drug and alcohol professionals. In case you missed that article which outlines what the CDL Clearinghouse is and its purpose, you […]