10-panel Drug Testing

You may need a 10-panel drug test if you are asked to have this test by a new employer or by a judge conducting a court case in which you are involved, reports the National Library of Medicine (NLM). You may also need a 10-panel drug test if you play professional sports, are in a treatment program for drug and alcohol misuse, or if your doctor wants to see if you are using prescription drugs correctly.

Here are other reasons you may need a 10-panel drug test, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):

• Pre-employment. A potential employer may require you to get a drug test before getting hired.
• Annual physical. Drug testing may be included as part of an annual physical exam required by some employers.
• Reasonable suspicion test. Your employer may order a 10-panel drug test if it suspects drug use is the reason you are engaging in unsafe behavior at work.
• Post-accident test. Your employer may order a 10-panel drug test if you were involved in a workplace accident and suspects it occurred due to drug or alcohol use.
• Post-treatment test. Your employer may ask you to do a drug test encouraging you to stay drug-free if you recently completed a drug or alcohol rehab program.
• Random test. You may be subject to a 10-panel drug test if your employer performs random drug testing to deter illicit drug use among its employees.

Getting a 10-panel drug test is relatively easy. You can ask your doctor for a referral to a drug testing provider or visit a lab or walk-in clinic that offers drug testing without requiring a referral. You can also use an at-home drug testing kit, reports the NLM, which can be purchased from a local pharmacy or online retailer.

If your employer is ordering this drug test, your employer may provide you with a referral to a lab that offers this service or perform the test onsite.

If you need help finding out how to get a 10-panel drug test, use the healthcare provider directory on Solv’s website. Solv allows you to contact drug testing providers individually to learn more about their services. Solv also allows you to book a same-day or next-day appointment from its website.

A 10-panel drug test looks for the presence of one or more of 10 different substances in your body. The exact substances detected with this drug test may vary based on the lab or provider conducting the test.

Drugs that can be detected using a 10-panel drug test, according to SAMHSA, the NLM, and Pasadena City College, include the following:

• Alcohol (ethanol)
• Amphetamines (including methamphetamine)
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• Cocaine
• Marijuana (THC)
• MDMA
• Methadone
• Methaqualone
• Opiates (such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, etc.)
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• Propoxyphene
• Steroids

Your employer, the drug testing provider, or the organization ordering the 10-panel drug test can confirm which drugs you will be screened for during this test.

During your appointment for a 10-panel drug test, you will be asked to provide a sample of your urine, blood, saliva, hair, or sweat, says the NLM. The drug testing provider may be able to confirm whether you need to provide multiple samples based on the substances for which you are being screened.

The most commonly used drug tests are usually performed as urine tests, reports the NLM. During a urine test, you will be asked to urinate into a sterile cup, which the lab then evaluates. The NLM adds that in some instances, you may need to urinate in the presence of a healthcare worker who can confirm that the sample is coming from you and not being tampered with.

For a blood test, your testing provider will draw a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm using a tiny needle. You may feel a slight sting when the needle goes in and out. According to the NLM, a blood test can usually be performed in under five minutes.

Contact the drug testing provider before your appointment to confirm what kind of tests you are having and what you need to do to prepare.

Your doctor or the drug testing provider may contact you with your 10-panel drug test results when they become available. These healthcare professionals can also help you interpret and understand your test results.

If your 10-panel drug test returns negative, then none of the ten drugs were found in your sample(s). Alternatively, a negative result could mean you had tiny traces of one or more of these substances in your system, but they were not detected or picked up by the test, says the NLM.

If your result returns positive, it means the 10-panel drug test found one or more of these substances in your system. It may also indicate you were misusing prescription drugs such as opiates or benzodiazepines, reports the NLM. If you test positive for drugs, a follow-up test may be required to rule out false-positive results and confirm that you were using drugs.