DRUG TESTERS CONFIDENT AS TEACHERS GET NEW CONTRACTS

He collects samples for drug and alcohol testing one at a time to
minimize mistakes.

Urine samples never leave his sight or that of the person being
tested. Both sign and initial all documents, which are marked with
seven-digit identification numbers and bar codes. The label on a vial
comes from the same form with the same ID number and bar code.

The bathroom in which the employee gives a sample is completely
stripped. A blue dye placed in the toilet water so people can't dilute
their sample.

The vials detect compromising substances and temperature, all to
ensure the liquid in the vial is urine. Easy-to-read lines indicate
positive and negative results outside of the vial.

The collection process is straightforward, routine and, mostly,
mistake-proof.

Bruce Makarewicz, owner of Advanced Testing Services, tests job
applicants and employees of private companies and government agencies.
As needed, he'll make "house calls" to test employees. He recently
collected samples at a Kohala Coast resort. He's been in the business
for 15 years.

Makarewicz says he's heard several misconceptions about drug testing
since the state and unions ratified contracts approving random drug
testing.

United Public Workers agreed to a random drug and alcohol testing
program for close to 12,000 employees, including custodians, hospital
workers, food service employees and other state and county workers.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association also ratified contracts that
called for random drug testing.

With state and private employees, results are obtained immediately.
Samples for federal employees are sent directly to a lab. The five
substances commonly tested for are cocaine, cannabinoids (marijuana),
amphetamines (meth), opiates and phencycldine (PCP).

Makarewicz doesn't keep tests results in his office. They are accessed
through a secure server. If results are negative, the process ends
there. If positive, samples are shipped to a certified medical lab for
further testing. A medical review officer oversees the process, and if
needed, contacts the applicant or employee for more information.
Prescriptions may explain a positive test.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, medical review
officers are licensed physicians responsible for receiving and
reviewing laboratory results generated by an employer's drug testing
program, and evaluating medical explanations for certain test results.

One of the common concerns about drug testing is the accuracy of the
tests, and the possibility of false positives or negatives, said Makarewicz.

He said false positives may have happened years ago when drug testing
first started but technology has improved greatly in the past 15 or 20
years. Today, every substance has a unique fingerprint, he said. False
negatives are more likely than false positives, he added.

Makarewicz uses split-specimen cups made by Noble Medical Inc. that
produce the same results as laboratories 98 to 99 percent of the time
for the five drugs, according to clinical studies of the product.

While a person may test positive for a substance, that sample must be
sent to a lab in order to pinpoint the level of substance and whether
that level exceeds thresholds established by the federal or state
government, said Makarewicz.

"In the case of litigation, if it finally gets to that, a second vial
or specimen for all positives is kept at the lab for a year," said
Makarewicz. A paperwork trail documents the collection and testing
process.

Some have voiced concerns about the integrity of the random drug
testing selection process. Makarewicz said "random" does have a
scientific meaning. Typically, a third party handles the selection
process. In the case of state workers, this person could possibly be a
union representative. That person is given a list of employees by
identification, and is responsible for ensuring those selected will be
present for testing.

Collecting samples isn't foolproof. Collectors are certified by two
organizations, including the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry
Association, said Makarewicz. But if mistakes are made in the
collection process, the sample is thrown out and the process starts
all over again. Mistakes are not typically made once samples reach the
laboratory because everything is tracked by bar codes, he said.

Also, there are methods to fool the tests, said Makarewicz. "But a
program is only as good as the person who administers it," he said.

One variable that can't be administered is Mother Nature. The rate at
which drugs are flushed out of the body varies from person to person,
depending upon several factors, including metabolism. What's
detectable in one person for a week or more might not show up in
another person after just a few days.