Drugs Of Abuse Panel-5 Drug Panel Test

The Panel 5 test is the simplest of drug tests, analyzing for the 5 most common street drugs. These include cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, heroin and PCP. This test is usually recommended by employers, federal governments and even concerned family members to check a patient for drug abuse. A urine sample is collected from the patient and analyzed for the presence of the 5 drugs. It is not a very reliable test since false positives and false negatives are often observed. Also, most other commonly available drugs cannot be tested for in the Panel 5 test.

No special preparation is required. Let the doctor know of any medications being taken by the patient. Follow any instructions provided by the doctor.

The drug levels will either be over or within the permissible limit: If over the limit, the test result is positive and further tests for specific drugs will be administered. If under the limit, the test result is negative. It should be noted that false positives and false negatives are common and therefore these results are not always confirmatory.

The urine sample can either be collected at home or at the clinic. The patient will be provided with a sterile cup. The patient must clean the genital area before sample collection. About 45ml urine sample must be collected in the cup. The patient must make sure the cup is sealed securely. The sample will then be tested in the laboratory for traces of drugs and their levels.