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Medical Review Officer

MRO Services and Processes:

Forensic Laboratories utilizes Medical Review Officers who are certified by national Medical Review Officer Associations. Services are performed in accordance with federal regulations as specified by the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

It is recommended that confirmatory laboratory tests be done for all non-negative on-site tests and conducted at an appropriate certified laboratory using GC/MS (Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry) or Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) procedures. Chain of custody documentation and MRO (Medical Review Officer) services are also important elements of a drug-screening program. A confirmatory test is defined within SAMHSA as a sample, taken during the same session with the employee as the on-site initial screen, which is appropriately identified, packaged and sent to an appropriate test laboratory for GC/MS or LC/MS/MS confirmatory screening. It is recommended that an MRO (an appropriate M.D. or osteopath) review the confirmatory test results and make a final (Positive or Negative) determination. The MRO makes a final determination as to whether a sample is “positive” or “negative” for drug abuse after reviewing the laboratory results and communicating with the donor as required. For example, an employee may have a current prescription for medication and/or recently taken over the counter medication responsible for producing a non-negative result for either or both, the on-site test, or the lab-based GC/MS or LC/MS/MS test.

MRO is the designation of an individual who has a vital role in the overall drug-testing process. "MRO" refers to a "Medical Review Officer" who in all cases must be a "MD" (medical doctor). The MRO helps protect both the rights of the employee being tested and the employer requiring the testing.

MRO "reviews" include the interpretation of urinalysis test results reported by the testing lab to ensure a scientifically valid result. Especially, the MRO attempts to determine whether a legitimate medical explanation could account for any "confirmed positive" result reported by the laboratory. This duty is fulfilled through telephone or in-person interview with the specimen donor and by giving the the donor an opportunity - through their doctor or pharmacist - to provide evidence of legally-prescribed drug-use that may have caused the lab-positive.

When the MRO can determine that a legitimate medical explanation exists, the MRO will then "overturn" the results reported by the lab and, instead, report the "final" result to the donor's employer as "negative". While a small percentage of companies will not pay the extra expense associated with MRO services, such services do greatly enhance the validity and reliability of the overall drug-testing process. They also help ensure fairness to the donor and offer more protection to the employer in any case of later litigation due to a "positive" drug test where the employee has been suspended or fired.

In addition, the MRO can assist your company, school or other organization in areas of your substance abuse program such as treatment recommendations and laboratory quality control procedures.

Services include:

Forensic Laboratories uses Medical Review Officers that are experienced in the field of substance abuse recognition and rehabilitation, and are knowledgeable of drug testing requirements mandated by federal regulations.

For further information on Forensic Laboratories MRO services, please call a Client Services Representative at 800-282-6574. Thank you.