Confirmation testing MUST be performed by a certified laboratory on any Urine Drug Screen that has been found to be non-negative. The laboratory results of the Urine Drug Screen Confirmation are then forwarded to a Certified Medical Review Officer for final evaluation; this is the beginning of the VERIFICATION process. 

The UDT Verification MUST be performed by a Certified Medical Review Officer (CMRO).

The verification process:

• The MRO assistant will make 3 attempts to contact the Donor within 72 hours following receipt of the UDS confirmed result.
• Upon contact with the donor the MRO will:

a. Verify the Donor by confirming DOB or last 4 digits of SSN.

b. Review the chain-of-custody.

c. Review the confirmed lab result.

d. Query donor regarding recent medication prescriptions.

e. Query donor regarding recent illicit substance use.

f. Inform donor regarding substances identified in specimen.

• If the Donor provides a reasonable medical explanation and presents a valid prescription for the substance identified in the urine, the Urine Drug Test will be deemed NEGATIVE. The Donor will be given 5 days from the date of the initial MRO interview to present the prescription / reasonable medical explanation. 
  
• If the Donor provides NO reasonable medical explanation and can not present a valid prescription for the substance identified in the urine, the Urine Drug Test will be deemed POSITIVE. 
• If the Donor disputes the results the ORIGINAL Specimen will be forwarded to another certified lab for referee testing. The preliminary result will be deemed PENDING REFEREE TESTING and the lab will be requested to perform one or more of the following tests depending on the initial results:
  • Re-confirmation on original urine specimen
  • d-l isomers on original  specimen
• MRO will issue the verified drug screen results following receipt of the confirmed referee test.

The employee will be asked to follow-up at the medical center within 24 hours of their MRO interview and submit a formal request for referee testing in writing. Under the labor code the employer is responsible for all costs of confirmation, MRO services, courier services, referee testing and d-l isomers.

Medical Marijuana § 40.137  -  MRO Responsibilities

(2) There can be a legitimate medical explanation only with respect to a substance that has a legitimate medical use. Use of a drug of abuse (e.g., heroin, PCP, marijuana) or any other substance (see §40.151(f) and (g)) that cannot be viewed as having a legitimate medical use can never be the basis for a legitimate medical explanation, even if the substance is obtained legally in a foreign country (or the State of California).

(4) Even if you (MRO) find that there is a legitimate medical explanation under this paragraph (e) and verify a test negative, you (MRO) may have a responsibility to raise fitness-for-duty considerations with the employer (see §40.327).

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES THE STANCE THAT THERE IS NO LEGITIMATE USE FOR "MEDICAL MARIJUANA" THEREFORE ANY URINE DRUG TEST COMFIRMED POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA WILL BE VERIFIED AS POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA.

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