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How Accurate Are at Home Drug Tests? The Fast Facts

How Accurate Are at Home Drug Tests

Since 2004, the rate of positive drug screens in the general United States population has seen a 5% increase. Because most of these positive tests came from pre-employment screening, many wonder how accurate the numbers are.

An at-home drug test can be just as accurate as a lab drug test depending on the provider. Let’s dive deeper into the facts to learn more about the accuracy of at-home drug testing.

How Accurate Are at Home Drug Tests?

Are at home drug tests reliable? Depending on the drug test supplier, at-home drug tests can be very accurate. Our drug tests are known to be 99% accurate and display results in just a few minutes.

Do at-home drug tests work for medical providers? Because at-home drug test accuracy is so high, the kits are often used in medical clinics, rehab centers, drug detox programs, etc.

The best at-home drug test urine can be used in a variety of settings because of the ease of use. The kits contain test instructions, urine collection containers, and the testing device.

12panelnow offers a variety of drug testing options such as test cups, test strips, and oral swabs. A reliable at-home drug test is commonly thought of as one that requires a urine sample. However, an at-home saliva drug test is just as reliable.

What Does Test Accuracy Depend On?

Drug tests are 99% accurate. It’s virtually impossible for any drug test to be 100% accurate because accuracy depends on these different factors:

  • Type of test
  • The substance that someone is testing for
  • Presence of medications in the body that were prescribed
  • Length of time that has passed since the last use

Common medications and certain food products can trigger false positives. The drug tests available at 12 Panel Now work to avoid these detection problems.

Testing is more accurate when the timeframe of each substance is known, aka the detection window. This window varies from one substance to another.

How Accurate Are at Home Drug Tests

Falsified Drug Tests

Even the most accurate at-home drug test cannot avoid the issue of donors falsifying their urine samples. In a medical and home setting, some donors find ways to tamper with the results of their drug tests.

Medical facilities like rehab centers and detox programs should stay up to date on the ways to identify cheating. It is also essential to know the popular ways that donors try to cheat a drug test. Here are a few of them:

Using Synthetic or Borrowed Urine

The most common method of faking drug tests is to borrow clean urine from someone sober. During the test, the urine is substituted and used in the test cup.

Recently, synthetic urine has become available to those who are trying to fake a drug test. The falsification methods are similar to those who borrow clean urine from a sober person.

To combat this type of falsification, you can do the following:

  • Time how long a donor has been in the restroom
  • Ask them to leave their personal belongings outside of the restroom
  • Ask them to change their clothes and leave them outside of the restroom

A test that is falsified will not be accurate because at-home drug tests cannot detect whether or not a donor’s urine was used instead of something else. However, drug tests can detect urine temperature.

Adulterating the Urine

Adulterating the urine is another way donors attempt to cheat their drug tests. However, this method is more common in places where they can get their hands on household items.

Donors might attempt to smuggle chemicals on the test site or use the soap in the bathroom. Avoid allowing donors the chance of adultering their urine with a chemical inside the testing restroom.

Watering Down the Urine

A donor might try to water down their urine sample so it is best to keep the sink outside of the testing restroom. A donor might also attempt to drink large quantities of water to dilute the chemicals in the urine.

As a testing center, you can learn to test for overly diluted urine to avoid both of these issues. During at-home testing, it’s hard to avoid this unless you watch the testee all day.

Along with the different methods to prevent falsification of urine samples, you can use a swab test so that you can watch the testing process take place. Many agree that a saliva test is the best drug test at-home.

Where to Get an at-Home Drug Test

Wondering where to find an at-home drug test “near me?” Knowing where to buy an at-home drug test that is reliable is key to accurate results.

12 Panel Now offers a variety of drug test strips or a drug test cup (UA cup). We also offer swab tests like the 10 panel mouth swab drug test. You can opt for a bulk drug test order or purchase tests in singles.

Our FDA-approved at-home drug test selection ranges from tests that test for one substance and tests that test for multiple substances at once. Below, we’ll dive into some of the most popular testing options that we offer.

10 Panel Urine Drug Test

Our at-home 10 panel drug test cup is an accurate and affordable option for all. Like the other drug tests we offer, the at-home drug test cutoff levels for this test are lower for ideal rapid testing.

This at-home 10 panel drug test tests for the following substances:

  • Amphetamines (AMP)
  • Benzodiazepines (BZO)
  • Buprenorphine (BUP)
  • Cocaine (COC)
  • Ecstasy (MDMA)
  • Marijuana (THC)
  • Methadone (MTD)
  • Methamphetamine (mAMP or MET)
  • Morphine (OPI)
  • Oxycodone (OXY)

If you want to test someone for multiple drugs at once, it is important to consider that each drug’s detection time is slightly different.

12 Panel Urine Drug Test Cup

The 12 panel drug test cup tests for the same substances as the 10 panel drug test. The difference is that the 12 panel urine drug test cup also tests for an additional two drugs: barbiturates (BAR) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCA).

The at-home drug test 12 panel is one of the most popular options for all testing environments.

Drug test cups like these can assure that the urine used in the sample is body temperature. This helps detect the presence of fake urine or replaced fluids. This way, facilities have an easier time combatting the issue of falsified drug tests.

13 Panel Urine Drug Test Cup

Like the above two drug test cups, the 13 panel drug test cup requires no additional tools. You can purchase these tests at affordable wholesale prices.

The main benefit of the 13 panel urine drug test cup is that it tests for the same substances as the 12 panel cup plus fentanyl (FYL). Fentanyl contributes to the deadly opioid crisis in the United States.

Because of the strength of this drug, testing for it is essential. Test kits like these are ideal for at-home testing and all major industries.

14 Panel Urine Drug Test Cup

The pattern continues as the 14 panel at-home drug test cup tests for one additional substance when compared to the 13 panel urine drug test cup. This drug test includes the widely abused drug phencyclidine (PCP).

Fentanyl Drug Test Strip

The fentanyl drug test strip kit from 12 Panel Now is safe and reliable for screening fentanyl drug abuse.

Although this test does not come in the form of a test cup, it can use a urine sample to get results. However, this kit can use any solution to detect the presence of fentanyl, not just urine.

Although many find that testing for more than one substance at a time is beneficial, it is not always necessary. If you need to test for fentanyl only, this is the kit to buy.

10 Panel Mouth Swab Drug Test

The 10 panel mouth swab drug test, like the 10 panel drug test cup, tests for 10 substances at one time. Yet, it determines the presence of substances in the body based on saliva instead of urine.

The following substances are tested for with the 10 panel at-home mouth swab drug test:

  • Amphetamines (AMP)
  • Barbiturates (BAR)
  • Benzodiazepines (BZO)
  • Buprenorphine (BUP)
  • Cocaine (COC)
  • Morphine (OPI)
  • Marijuana (THC)
  • Methamphetamine (MET)
  • Oxycodone (OXY)
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)

The donor can be supervised when taking an oral swab drug test like this one which helps minimize fraudulent test results. Another benefit is that multiple people can be tested at the same time instead of one by one.

This is the most accurate drug test at home for avoiding falsification problems.

12 Panel Now urine tests display results in 5 minutes, but the mouth swab test takes 10 minutes to show results.

Interpreting Test Results

Knowing how to interpret the test results of each drug test will help the accuracy of the test. If you read the results wrong, you risk not knowing the true results of the test.

To read results and comes with instructions on how to do so. The results will show two regions, the control region (C) and the test region (T).

If one colored band pops up on the control region (C) the test is positive. If colored bands appear on both the control region (C) and test region (T) the test is negative.

A band should always appear in the control region (C). If there are no colored bands shown after the wait time or if a colored band only appears in the test region (T), the test is invalid.

How Long Does it Take?

If this is your first time using an at-home drug test, you probably are wondering exactly what kind of time commitment this is.  Rest assured, this process only takes minutes and can be performed in the comfort of your own restroom at home. 

Results of the Drug Test Kits can be viewed in as little as two minutes or less, although it is recommended that you assess the urine specimen within the five minutes after the drug test has been initiated.  When you take your at-home drug test, make sure that you do not wait longer than eight minutes to interpret the result. 

It’s important to note that the Drug Test cup should be stored in a temperature-regulated room between 36 degrees and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not remove the drug test cups from their seals until you are ready to use them

How Do I Find an at-Home Drug Test Near Me?

When searching online for an “at-home drug test near me,” there are certain criteria to look for. Below are some of the factors to always consider to find the best at-home drug test.

Testing Process

At home drug test accuracy is one of the first things people consider when searching for a drug testing business. You won’t want to risk any room for error so check that a company makes it easy for you to follow these procedures:

  • Simple collection process
  • Proper evaluation
  • Dependable reporting options

Finding the most accurate at-home drug test is key, but the accuracy of the test will depend on how easy it is to complete. An at-home drug test without simple instructions won’t be the best option.

Services Tailored to You

Of course, you’ll want to find a drug test company that has a variety of options to choose from, especially the testing you need.

You might know what drug you want to test for before you buy an at-home drug test. However, if you are buying a drug test for a loved one to take, you might not know what drugs they are abusing.

12 Panel Now offers an at-home 10 panel drug test to test for multiple substances at one time. Other panel options include the following:

  • At-home drug test 12 panel
  • 14 panel at-home drug test
  • At-home 5 panel drug test

Every option is an FDA-approved at-home drug test with a 99% accuracy rate.