Drug Testing During COVID-19. It’s Essential.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, and parts of the world are beginning to slowly emerge from lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, millions of people still remain out of work—and many seek continued isolation in a climate filled with uncertainty and most recently volatility. While social distancing isn’t easy for anyone, it’s impact on those who are recovering from addiction and substance use disorders is particularly devastating. Triggered by loneliness, anxiety, absence of routine, and limited or no access to support and services, relapse has become both a looming threat and reality for many.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an international crisis that, as history has shown, will lead to an increase in drug abuse.¹ And because some states have declared marijuana as an “essential” medicine during the pandemic, sales of legal marijuana are, in some cases, outpacing alcohol. As vulnerable populations remain isolated, with even greater access to substances of abuse, it would appear to be the proverbial “perfect storm.”

Now is not the time to stop or curtail drug testing. It is in fact, more important than ever if we are to keep those who are in dire need from falling deeper into struggle.

The pandemic won’t only increase the extent and severity of some addictive disorders, testing to identify those in need of treatment is drastically limited by restrictions in face‐to‐face provider interaction, specimen collection, and other safeguards. 

That’s why we’ve brought oral fluid collection into a virtual space with our online platform DOCTox, DRUGSCAN’s Observed Collection for Toxicology; because virtual specimen collection is an essential and versatile solution for patients, providers, and employers during the COVID-19 crisis, and in the future.

BENEFITS OF DOCTox:

• Provides convenient sample collection from any location.
• Offers secure online monitoring for sample verification.
• Helps keep those at high-risk for relapse, and contracting COVID-19 safe.
• Delivers accurate and reliable results in a timely manner.
• Maintains essential patient medication monitoring and continuity of care.

¹ https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20040319/new-yorkers-after-9-11

DRUGSCAN is a long-standing toxicology laboratory, that provides toxicology testing, medication monitoring, drug detection services for employers, DOT-mandated programs, law-enforcement agencies, coroners, medical examiners, substance-abuse rehabilitation facilities, and clinicians. As a part of Rochester Regional Health System, DRUGSCAN is a leading pioneer in the emerging field of Abuse Deterrent Assessments.