Oral Fluid Drug Testing

What is Oral Fluid Drug Testing?

Oral fluid drug testing is a fast and non-invasive screening evaluation using a test subject’s saliva. On-the-spot measurement quickly identifies certain drugs of abuse, such as amphetamines, designer amphetamines, opiates, cocaine and metabolites, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, and methadone.

Oral fluid drug testing can detect active drug impairment from up to 8 hours prior, helping lawmakers and safety regulators remove an impaired individual from the environment.  

What Are Applications for Oral Fluid Drug Testing?

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Oral fluid drug testing is used in law enforcement and military law enforcement investigations, such as presumptive and preliminary screening. The screening can be used in conjunction with standard field sobriety testing to help confirm or dispel suspicions of abuse. 

Other applications can include but are not limited to the following:

  • probation monitoring
  • post-accident evaluation 
  • unknown substance surface testing
  • and more

Speaking to a Dräger product specialist is recommended to determine if oral fluid drug testing is the right fit for you. 

Why Oral Fluid Drug Testing as a Tool for Testing?

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When detecting alcohol impairment, there is a good correlation between alcohol concentration and impairment; however, drugs have no clear correlation between drug concentrations and impairment. Levels of drug absorption, distribution, and elimination from the body, as well as behavioral and cognitive effects, are very different from that of alcohol. 

In the past, testing for drug impairment required taking the subject to the police station for urine or blood testing-- ultimately time-consuming and expensive. Oral fluid testing is an effective alternative that can be performed on the spot, confirming or dispelling suspicions of active impairment. In comparison to other methods of impairment testing, saliva and blood detect recent drug use. 

Unlike blood, however, oral fluid drug testing is non-invasive and hygienic, without the need for special facilities. Testing involves significantly less time and labor than a urine test, and it is difficult to adulterate the sample. 

In Dräger’s experience, test subjects are generally far more willing to provide a saliva sample than they are to submit a urine test. 

Key Advantages of Using Oral Fluid Drug Testing

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Fast - specimens can be taken at or near the time of incidence and results are provided on the spot

  • Easy - oral screening does not require same-sex observed collection
  • Reliable – it’s difficult to adulterate the specimen
  • Non-invasive – there is no requirement for medical professionals to take samples
  • Hygienic - when handled correctly, administrators will not encounter a donor’s oral fluid 

Dräger’s Solutions

The Dräger DrugTest® 5000: OverviewPlay video

The Dräger DrugTest 5000

The Dräger DrugTest 5000 is a fully automated drug analyzer system providing controlled and accurate readings on-site. Portable and rechargeable, the highly intuitive device measures oral fluid samples using ready-to-swab cassettes, called the Dräger DrugTest 5000 Test Kit. Accurately determine if a subject is under the influence of common drugs of abuse to help you make quick decisions impacting public safety.

The Dräger DrugTest 5000 screens recent substance use in set cutoffs (ng/ml) for the following:

  • Amphetamines (AMP) 50
  • Benzodiazepines (BZO) 15
  • Methamphetamines (MET) 35
  • Cocaine (COC) 20
  • Cannabis (THC) (you select) 5 / 10 / 25
  • Opiates (OPI) 20
  • Ketamine (KET) 300
  • Methadone (MTD) 20
Dräger DrugTest 5000

Dräger DrugTest 5000

The device controls analysis time and internal temperature for accurate results. Positive results can be confirmed with a second oral fluid sample via an independent, third-party laboratory analysis. Results are available online in a matter of days.

Dräger SSK 5000

Dräger SSK 5000

Additional features of the DrugTest 5000 analyzer include unknown substance evaluations. Using the Dräger SSK 5000 surface sampling kit, swab the substance or area of suspicion and run the collection into the analyzer for quick results.

Dräger Mobile Printer

Dräger Mobile Printer

Ready to report your findings? Data can be downloaded can be printed on the Mobile Printer without using a dedicated power supply and operates on four AA batteries. 

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The Dräger DrugCheck 3000

The pocket-sized Dräger DrugCheck 3000 is a single-use, all-in-one screener that can detect up to five different substances classes stimultaneously. The oral fluid-based drug test is affordable and yields reliable results, easily read out on a smartphone within 3-5 minutes.  

Simply swab the donor, snap the mouthpiece into the cassette, and shake to mix the buffer solution with the oral fluid. As soon as the control lines appear in the window, you can read the results to determine if a subject recently consumed certain drugs. 

The Dräger DrugCheck 3000 can identify the following substances:

  1. Amphetamines (AMP)
  2. Methamphetamines (MET)
  3. Cocaine (COC) 
  4. Cannabis (THC) 
  5. Opiates (OPI) 

Grant Resources

Funding for police departments may be limited and many depend on grants to cover expenses on impairment check devices. PoliceGrantsHelp grant assistance program includes a number of options for departments seeking assistance in securing grant funding for oral fluid drug testing such as the Dräger DrugTest 5000 and Dräger DrugCheck 3000. PoliceGrantsHelp features an extensive law enforcement grant database with a library of information not only for federal grant programs but also state, local and corporate grant opportunities. 

Visit PoliceGrantsHelp.com for more information.

Additional Safety Resources

The improving trend for alcohol and drug-related deaths in the U.S. has been going in the right direction for decades thanks to the work of many organizations. We hope to continue with a combined momentum to raise even more awareness of impairment on the roadway and other life-threatening hazards. It is the work of these organizations and more who help broaden the scope for safety measures. Please visit these safety advocates for additional resources.

Our Corporate Responsibility to Reducing Impairment-Related Deaths

Since 1889, the Dräger company continues its legacy led by five generations of people with that same last name. It is still a family business that now employs more than 15,000 people in over 190 countries around the world. With his family name on the business, CEO Stefan Dräger leads the company with more than just the balance sheet in mind—technology to help save lives. Dräger’s ongoing innovation in alcohol and drug detection technology reflects Draeger’s social and corporate responsibility.

Across a broad portfolio of medical and safety solutions, Dräger’s guiding principle is Technology for Life and we are proud that our Alcotest® and DrugTest solutions help to save and protect lives. Law enforcement is the first line of defense in protecting the public against drug-impaired drivers. As DREs are limited and relaxed drug laws lead to increases in usage, equipping officers with the right tools to deter, detect, and defuse drugged driving incidents is imperative for the safety of all who share the road. Oral Fluid Drug Testing is a viable and proven solution that can support officers’ heroic efforts and ultimately save lives. We must be nimble to adjust accordingly, by innovating technology that exceeds today’s demand for impairment detection.

Though much progress has been made, there is much work in front of us. A responsible future means more than just products, but good corporate citizenship. Our responsibility is to help protect people, act ethically, create value, and respect our environment.

Request a Demo

Contact Us Safety

Draeger, Inc. – Safety

7256 S. Sam Houston W Pkwy., Suite 100
Houston, TX 77085

1-800-437-2437

Our impairment check experts are ready to assist you! Connect with us below to request a demo or begin a discussion regarding oral fluid drug testing.

Request a Demo

Contact Us Safety

Draeger, Inc. – Safety

7256 S. Sam Houston W Pkwy., Suite 100
Houston, TX 77085

1-800-437-2437

Our impairment check experts are ready to assist you! Connect with us below to request a demo or begin a discussion regarding oral fluid drug testing.