This CLE provides a practical, science-based overview of the drug testing process from Collection to Courtroom. Participants will learn what substances are included in common testing panels, and how laboratory testing is performed—from specimen collection through screening, confirmation, and validity testing. Our expert will explain how to interpret positive and negative results, what toxicology findings do and do not establish from a scientific standpoint, and the limitations of laboratory testing.

The course will also address drug detection windows, how long various substances may remain detectable, and the role of abstinence monitoring. Attendees will gain an understanding of potential modes of drug exposure, including claimed passive exposure, touch, and inhalation, and how laboratories evaluate and respond to common alternative-exposure explanations such as poppy seed ingestion, and use of hand sanitizer and mouthwash.

Finally, the program will review current trends being observed by testing laboratories, including an in-depth discussion of fentanyl and emerging high-risk substances commonly referred to as “zombie drugs,” and the evolving challenges these substances present in testing and interpretation.