Laboratory Oral Fluid/Saliva Screening and Confirmation
Some companies use a collector for ‘Oral Mucosal Transudate’ (or OMT) and insist this is what you should use for drug testing. We can also provide a very similar collection device. However it is not necessary to collect OMT because drugs can be detected in every part of oral fluid, not just OMT. The OMT collector was developed for health tests such as oral HIV tests that rely on a rich supply of antibodies. OMT is indeed rich in antibodies, so it is necessary for HIV tests, but it is not necessary for drug tests.

For oral fluid/saliva tests, donors are required to produce a saliva/oral fluid sample in a special collection swab placed into the mouth to collect the oral fluid/saliva. After 5 minutes or so, the swab is then placed into the collection vile, containing a buffer liquid to preserve the sample in transportation. An A and B sample will be taken at the same time. The Chain of Custody form is completed, the sample packaged and sealed in front of the donor.

The individual sample is then stored in a cool-box until despatch. Samples are then batched with the other samples taken at that site during that day, and then sent to the laboratory for screening and confirmation via courier.

The A sample will be tested in the laboratory and the B sample will be kept in refrigerated storage for a minimum of 12 months should the donor wish to challenge the result.

The initial stage of screening is completed via immunoassay screening. At this stage any positive screen results will be processed through to GCMS (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) confirmation. The GCMS will confirm the presence and nature of drug entities or metabolites in positive screen results. Results are then reported within 5 working days from initial screen result, or where being sent for confirmation only within 5 working days from receipt at the laboratory.