Employee Drug Abuse & Drug Testing Kits for Employers

Pre Employment Drug Testing Kits

Job applicants and workers already on the job are failing drug tests at a sharply higher rate this year, officials at Oregon's largest drug-testing labs say.
Oregon Medical Laboratories in Eugene, the state's largest clinical and workplace drug-testing laboratory, reports that its rate of positive employment-related tests jumped to 6.9 percent in the first six months of this year from 5.3 percent in the same period a year ago -- a more than 30 percent increase.

The laboratory processes about 150,000 workplace-related drug tests a year, including hiring and random tests. The lab's statistics omit tests from employers regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, such as trucking firms, which have been required to randomly test workers for drugs since 1989 and have lower positive rates as a result.

Lab directors and other workplace consultants say they can't entirely explain the sudden jump in positive tests. But they speculate Oregon's rapidly growing economy is luring formerly unemployed drug users into new jobs.

"It could be we're seeing more people coming back into the labor force," said Art Ayre, an employment economist with the Oregon Employment Department. If so, employers are likely "pulling in more of those people on the margins who have been engaging in this type of activity," Ayre said.

Although Oregon's unemployment rate -- 6.7 percent in August -- is still the second highest in the nation, the state's job growth rate is also among the highest in the United States.

Others involved in the drug-testing business speculate that employers may be doing a better job of giving drug tests in ways that prevent workers' drug use from escaping detection.

"More employers are becoming a bit more capable of testing applicants without giving a large open time window to being tested," said Grant Beardsley, director of drug-testing services at Oregon Medical Laboratories.

Kent Johnson, director of Legacy Metrolab in Portland, the only other federally certified drug-testing laboratory in Oregon, said he also has seen a sharp increase this year, although he doesn't have exact numbers.

While marijuana remains the most frequently detected drug, showing up in more than half of all positive tests, methamphetamine appears to be the fastest-growing illegal drug of choice among workers. Johnson said positive test rates for amphetamines increased 15 percent between 2003 and 2004 among his lab's samples. Meth is the most widely used type of amphetamine.

Johnson said he thinks the rate will be higher again this year.

Methamphetamine is likely a bigger problem for employers in Oregon than other parts of the nation, experts say. In Oregon, amphetamines top cocaine as the second-most detected illicit substance, laboratory officials say. They rank third highest nationally behind cocaine, according to Quest Diagnostics, the nation's largest provider of employment drug tests.

Positive work-related test rates for meth in the first six months of this year ranged from 0.9 percent of all employment-related tests in Southern Oregon to 1.5 percent of all tests in the Portland area, Beardsley said.

Nationwide, positive rates for most major illicit drugs have been on the decline in recent years, thanks to effective drug-free workplace programs, experts say.

But amphetamines have been an exception. Five years ago, amphetamines showed up in one of every 400 workplace drug screens, Quest Diagnostics reported. Last year, they turned up in about one of every 200 tests, Quest said.

Lisa Neef, president of Arrive Staffing Resources Inc. in Portland and president-elect of the Oregon Staffing Association, said staffing agencies that specialize in placing lower-skilled, entry-level workers -- those working in industrial or warehouse settings -- report up to an 18 percent increase in their rates of positive drug tests by applicants.

Rates are much lower among agencies placing college graduates in high-tech engineering posts and other professional settings, but they are still higher than last year by 2 percent to 8 percent, Neef estimated.

Source: OregonLive.com

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Pre Employment Drug Testing & Random Drug Testing

Employers! Employee Random Drug Testing is very important

An experienced commercial pilot who died in the crash of a twin-engine cargo plane near Kodiak last year had cocaine and alcohol in his system, and lax FAA medical certification procedures are among factors that may have contributed to the accident, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The NTSB's report on the June 14, 2004, crash, released last week, says the probable cause of the accident was pilot Mark Mueller's failure to follow procedures for missed approaches to the airport. It says dense fog and equipment problems contributed, but says "additional factors were the pilot's impairment from cocaine, alcohol and over the counter cold medication, and the FAA's inadequate medical certification of the pilot and follow-up of his known substance abuse problems."

Representatives from the FAA dispute that. In an interview Wednesday, Willis Simmons, the FAA's regional flight surgeon in Alaska, said, "I don't know that we knew he had substance abuse problems. He had a history of substance abuse problems. There's a difference."

Simmons said the FAA may hear about pilot problems from law enforcement or tipsters. Mostly, though, the federal agency relies on employers and the honesty of its pilots to report drug or alcohol problems on their medical forms, he said. Mueller never lied to the agency, Simmons said.

Mueller had experienced a series of substance abuse and drunken driving problems over more than a decade, according to the NTSB report.

At the time of his death, he faced a hearing proposing the suspension of his license for landing a plane on the taxiway, not the runway, at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport the month before, the NTSB report and FAA officials said. The FAA said there was no reason to test Mueller for drugs or alcohol after that incident.

On the day of the Kodiak crash, Mueller, 56, left Anchorage just before 10 a.m. in a 1952 Beech C-45H Volpar turboprop plane owned by Anchorage-based Bellair Inc. He was the only person on board.

A witness in Kodiak saw the plane flying very low over the water in dense fog before it crashed at the southern end of Long Island just before noon, the report said.

NTSB investigator Clint Johnson said Tuesday the crash likely resulted from a combination of factors, including several that were unrelated to alcohol or drug use.

"This was absolutely not your average case," Johnson said. "There are three things we normally look at: man, machine and environment. It's not often that you have all three in one accident."

Johnson said one of the plane's engines was probably not working. The weather was bad, with a low ceiling, poor visibility and rain. The report also said that Mueller should have been flying with a co-pilot, as operation procedures specified.

Tests conducted after the crash by the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute in Oklahoma found traces of cocaine, alcohol and a sedating antihistamine in Mueller's body, the report says.

Mueller was an experienced pilot with an airline transport pilot certificate -- the same license captains of commercial jets need to fly. He had to have a medical certificate re-issued by the FAA yearly.

"This guy was very, very qualified and, quite frankly, probably a very talented pilot in terms of his skill level," the NTSB's Johnson said. At the time of the accident, he was the chief pilot for Bellair.

Mueller's history of cocaine use first surfaced in May of 1990, after the death of his wife, when he pleaded no contest to attempted misconduct involving a controlled substance and received a one-year suspended sentence. Mueller also tested positive for cocaine in July 1990 in a test for another employer, and forfeited his pilot's license for one year.

In 1995, an informant told the FAA that Mueller had asked a friend of the informant's for crack or cocaine, but the federal agency did not follow up on the charge, the NTSB's report says.

Simmons, who has been in charge of the medical division of the FAA in Alaska since April 2004, said the NTSB is wrong about that.

Simmons said his files show that the allegation was pursued by the FAA's investigative security team but the file appears to not be complete. One note in the file describes the allegations as rumors. Simmons said it is common for the FAA to receive phone calls with accusations of alcohol or drug abuse from people with grudges against pilots.

In 1996, Mueller was arrested for drunk driving. He reported it to the FAA; the agency decided the incident was isolated and renewed the medical certificate necessary for his license but told him he would have to totally abstain from alcohol, the NTSB report says.

In 1997, the FAA regional flight surgeon sent Mueller a letter telling him because of "a history of alcohol abuse" he was ineligible for medical certification. But the letter said Mueller could be granted a limited temporary certificate, and that he would have to provide letters from his employer, counselor and an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor "attesting to your total abstinence and sobriety."

The NTSB report says Mueller then had several meetings with the FAA surgeon but that there is no record of the pilot submitting the letters requested. He was reinstated.

Mueller began working for Bellair in 2001. He passed the company's initial drug test.

The FAA does not do random drug tests; it says it has no legal authority to do so. Pilot employers, though, do. Mueller was subject to random drug testing during the time he worked for Bellair, but apparently was never selected in the random process after his initial pre-employment test.

Bellair is now out of business. Telephone messages left at a phone listing for the former owner's home were not returned.

Source: Anchorage Daily News

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Drug Abuse & Athlete Drug Testing Kits

The Importance of Drug Testing Kits for Sports

Career home run leader Hank Aaron and four other baseball Hall of Famers told Congress on Wednesday they support commissioner Bud Selig's proposals to toughen the sport's drug-testing policy.

Invited by Selig to appear at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on steroids in sports, former star players Aaron, Ryne Sandberg, Phil Niekro, Robin Roberts and Lou Brock were not on the witness list. But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who ran the hearing, asked them to speak before the testimony of Selig and the commissioners and union leaders of four major professional sports leagues.

"I want to applaud the commissioner, and I also just want to make sure that whatever we do, we make sure that we clean up baseball," said Aaron, whose record of 755 homers is being approached by San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds.

Sandberg, who addressed steroids during his Hall of Fame induction speech in July, told the Senators: "We here today owe America's pastime a strict policy."
Selig, baseball union head Donald Fehr and officials from the National Football League, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League were called to discuss two pieces of Senate legislation that would standardize drug policies across sports. Three similar bills have been introduced in the House.

The focus, though, was on baseball much as has been the case since the House Government Reform Committee grilled Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Selig, Fehr and others about steroids on March 17. Palmeiro, who emphatically told Congress that day he had never used steroids, was suspended Aug. 1 after failing a drug test.

Five weeks after that hearing, Selig proposed toughening baseball's penalties. Fehr made public a counteroffer this week.

McCain wanted to know why the process has moved so slowly, asking Fehr repeatedly: "Don't you get it?"

"We're at the end here, and I don't want to do it, but we need an agreement soon. It's not complicated. It's not complicated. All sports fans understand it," McCain said. "I suggest you act and you act soon."

Pressed for a deadline for an agreement, Fehr said: "Would I expect it to be by the end of the World Series? I would certainly hope so."

McCain sponsored the Clean Sports Act, a companion to the House bill introduced by Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Kentucky Republican and former pitcher elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1996, sponsored the Professional Sports and Integrity Act.

"There are some who will say Congress has no business in this issue," McCain said. "But … professional sports have not acted, and we have an obligation to our young people."

Baseball, Bunning said, "seems to be the biggest problem."

In April, Selig called for a 50-game suspension after an initial positive test, a 100-game ban for second-time offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation. Currently, a first offense carries a 10-day ban. Fehr offered Monday to accept a 20-game penalty for first-time steroid offenders.

"We believe that we've made a lot of strides … and we are prepared to do a lot more," Fehr testified Wednesday, adding later: "I think we're very close to an agreement. I'll be surprised if we can't work it out."

Selig acknowledged that "baseball presently has a problem," adding, "It is my goal … to eradicate the use of performance-enhancing substances from the game and I will not leave one stone unturned until this happens."

Both Senate bills call for a two-year suspension the first time an athlete fails a drug test and a lifetime ban after a second failed test. The four leagues whose officials appeared Wednesday have less strict penalties, though all have toughened or proposed toughening their programs in recent months in some cases, right before or after congressional hearings on the subject.

"For whatever reason, you just can't get it done, and you can't get your act together," Bunning said. "I and millions of fans think that's pathetic."
He has said he expects legislation to reach the floor of Congress before the end of the year, and on Wednesday, Bunning spoke of being, "on the brink of possibly passing legislation."

Source: ABC News - USA

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The Importance of Pre Employment Drug Testing & Employee Drug Testing Kits

Effects of Drug Abuse on Workers

Government studies reveal that 1 out of 6 workers has a drug problem and show that drug abusers on average:

1. cost an employer $7,000 - $10,000 per employee annually
2. cost companies 300% more in medical costs and benefits
3. are absent up to 16 times more often
4. are 1/3 less productive

In surveys of drug abusers themselves:

1. 44% admitted selling drugs to co-workers
2. 18% admitted stealing from employers

Source: PreEmploymentDrugTests.com

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Student Drug Abuse & The Effectiveness of Random Drug Testing

Children Drug Addiction & Importance of Random Drug Testing for Children


In August of 2000, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that suspicionless (random) drug-testing ofstudents was unconstitutional under the Indiana Constitution. At the time of the ruling approximately65 high schools in Indiana had implemented student random drug-testing programs. All of those schools halted their random drug-testing programs after the decision. The Indiana Supreme Court set aside the appellate court’s decision in January of 2002 and reversed the appellate court during the summer of 2002.

In a previous study released in 2002, the researcher asked Indiana high school principals to compare drug and alcohol activity during the 1999-2000 school year when random drug-testing policies were in effect with the 2000-2001 school year when schools were not allowed to engage in random drug testing programs.

This study is presented as a follow-up to the 2002 study for the purposes of determining how many schools in Indiana re-implemented random drug-testing programs after suspending those programs in the late summer of 2000 and the effectiveness of the re-implemented drug-testing programs as compared to the previous school year when random drug testing was suspended.

Methodology

Sixty-five high schools were identified as having random drug-testing programs that were suspended in August, 2000 (based upon information gathered in the first study). The survey instrument was sent to the principals of the 65 high schools. Fifty-nine principals responded representing 90.7% of high schools with random drug-testing programs.

Results

1. 94% of principals reported believing that the random drug-testing policy discourages drug and alcohol use among students

2. 88% (52) of high school principals responding to the survey reported re-implementation of random drug-testing at their schools

3. 73% of the principals reported a decrease in drug usage (compared to the period without a
random drug-testing program) among students who are subject to the drug-testing policy, 25% of principals reported that drug use "remained the same", 2% (1) reported an increase in drug usage

4. 51% of the high school principals reported a decrease in alcohol usage (compared to the
period without a random drug-testing program) among students at their school who are subject to the random drug-testing policy, 45% of principals reported that alcohol use "remained the same", 4% reported an increase in the use of alcohol, 26% of principals reported that their drug-testing program did not test for alcohol. Most of these principals responded to the alcohol use question with "remained the same"

5. 81% of principals reported that the information on decreases in drug and alcohol usage was based upon reports from students, 71% stated that their drug and alcohol usage responses were based upon information from teachers and staff members, 38% drew their drug and alcohol usage information from formal surveys of students conducted at the schools, 36% stated that their information on drug and alcohol usage among students came from law enforcement sources

6. 63% of the principals stated that athletic coaches provided information that the student athletes were involved in fewer incidents of drug usage as compared to the period without a random drug-testing program

7. 98% of the high school principals reported that the drug-testing policy covers students participating in interscholastic athletics, 78% reported policies that cover students participating in extra-curricular activities, 50% reported policies that cover students participating in co-curricular activities, 80% reported policies that cover students wishing to drive on school property

8. 86% of the high school principals surveyed stated that the random drug-test is conducted using urinalysis

9. 40% of principals responding to the survey reported that fewer students had been suspended
from participation in athletic programs for drug use since re-implementation of the random drug-testing program

Source: STUDENT DRUG-TESTING COALITION

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Student Drug Abuse and Random Drug Testing at Schools

The Importance of Random Drug Testing at Schools

Despite opposition from some parents, Cumberland Valley School Board has no plans to back away from its decision to conduct random drug testing of high school students this year.

"The board stands firm," President Karen Christie said after a meeting last week at which a parent challenged the policy as violating students' privacy rights under state and federal constitutions.

Parent Kim Mayfath urged the board to make the policy voluntary so parents can "opt in or out."

The policy the board approved in June allows random testing of all high school students who want to participate in extra- and co-curricular activities, including sports. The policy also covers students who want parking privileges to drive to school. The school district estimates the policy will cover nearly 90 percent of 2,560 students enrolled in grades nine through 12.

Other midstate school districts with random drug-testing policies include Lower Dauphin, Middletown, South Middleton, Upper Dauphin, Susquenita and Halifax. The policies vary in scope; South Middleton, for instance, tests only student athletes, while the Halifax policy is similar to Cumberland Valley's.

Mayfath signed a form at the start of this school year giving the district consent to drug test her daughter, a sophomore, who otherwise would have to give up playing viola in the high school orchestra.

Cumberland Valley hasn't started random drug testing. The board Monday tabled a proposed contract with Holy Spirit Hospital for testing and laboratory services.

Board members cited unanswered questions, such as whether the high school can test for steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. The board also wants to conduct "unit sweeps" during which students in a given activity, such as a particular sport or club, are tested at one time.

Christie and other members also were frustrated the proposed agreement did not include testing for alcohol.

"This was our top problem," Christie said, citing results of a survey released in August showing CV students' rate of alcohol use to be greater than the national average.

Source: pennlive.com

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Employee Drug Abuse & Drug Testing in the Workplace

Keep Employee Random Drug Testing Programs Legal

If you plan to use alcohol and drug testing as a part of a workplace substance abuse policy, there are many legal issues that must first be addressed.

Drug testing -- and particularly random drug testing -- is not allowed in every state in the U.S. Before proceeding with such a policy, a company needs to check with its state Department of Labor for current laws. Even if such testing is allowed, and employees are found to be using drugs and alcohol, employers may find their options are limited in how they can respond.

For example, the Americans With Disabilities Act makes it clear that an individual with alcoholism has a disability which is protected under the ADA.

It also states that an employer may not refuse to hire a qualified individual because of his or her alcoholism, and may not punish an alcoholic employee more severely than non-alcoholic employees for the same conduct.

Invasion of PrivacyIn one federal case, the Tenth Circuit rejected a challenge to a policy that required employees to disclose their prescription drug use at the time of a drug test for illegal drugs. The company said it was necessary to assure the accuracy of the drug test. The court ruled that since the information was not disclosed to others, it represented an "insignificant" invasion of privacy.

However, in a California case, the court ruled that an employers's requirement of disclosure of prescription drug use as part of a medical exam for applicants and promotion candidates was illegal. The employer argued the information was necessary to determine if there was a positive test for illegal drugs whether there was a possible legal explanation. The court said the policy violated the American with Disabilities Act and the individual's right to privacy under the California constitution.

In New York, the Legal Activities Law prohibits an employer from refusing to hire or dismiss an employee for the use of alcohol and perscription drugs during off-duty hours. Employers may take action under the statute, but only if they have "an established substance abuse or alcohol program or workplace policy."

Other Cases
Recently, even the right of the U.S. Military to remove an employee from his job due to off-duty behavior has become a matter of dispute for the Merit Systems Protection Board, after a Navy sheet metal worker had a wreck and was arrested for DUI.

In another case, a company fired an employee for refusing to take a random drug test, after marijuana was found in his locker. The courts ruled in favor of the employee, because the company's written substance abuse policy did not specifically state that refusing to take the test was grounds for dismissal.

The secret to a successful workplace substance abuse policy is to make sure it adheres to the state's laws and is accompanied by a carefully written policy, which is understood by employees and supervisors alike. Such a policy can benefit the company and its employees, but only if it respects the rights of all.

Source: About.com

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Student Drug Abuse & The Role of Parents on Stopping Drug Abuse

Parents Can Combat Student Drug Abuse

To combat student drug use most effectively, the entire community must be involved: parents, schools, students, law enforcement authorities, religious groups, social service agencies, and the media. They all must transmit a single consistent message that drug use is wrong and dangerous, and it will not be tolerated. This message must be reinforced through strong, consistent law enforcement and disciplinary measures.

The following recommendations and examples describe actions that can be taken by parents, schools, students, and communities to stop drug use. These recommendations are derived from research and from the experiences of schools throughout the country. They show that the drug problem can be overcome.


WHAT PARENTS CAN DO


* Teach standards of right and wrong, and demonstrate these standards through personal example.

* Help children to resist peer pressure to use alcohol and other drugs by supervising their activities, knowing who their friends are, and talking with them about their interests and problems.

* Be knowledgeable about drugs and signs of drug use. When symptoms are observed, respond promptly.

Teach standards of right and wrong and demonstrate these standards through personal example.

Children who are brought up to value individual responsibility and self-discipline and to have a clear sense of right and wrong are less likely to try drugs than those who are not. Parents can help to instill these values by:

* Setting a good example for children and not using drugs themselves.

* Explaining to their children at an early age that drug use is wrong, harmful, and unlawful, and reinforcing this teaching throughout adolescence.

* Encouraging self-discipline by giving children regular duties and holding them accountable for their actions.

* Establishing standards of behavior concerning drugs, drinking, dating, curfews, and unsupervised activities, and enforcing them consistently and fairly.

* Encouraging their children to stand by their convictions when pressured to use drugs.

Source: Weekly Reader Survey on Drugs and Drinking

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The New South Wales Government has been asked to fully explain why the master and crew members of the Manly ferry Collaroy were not properly drug and alcohol tested after Monday's crash at Circular Quay in Sydney.

State Transport Minister John Watkins has admitted to the bungle in Parliament, despite telling a Budget Estimates hearing on Tuesday night that all the crew had been tested after the accident.

Mr Watkins says he was given incorrect advice about what testing had been carried out.
The Minister has sacked Sydney Ferries' chairman Matthew Taylor and safety manager Robert Formisari over the incident.

The ferry's master and three deckhands were not properly tested, even though the Government and Sydney Ferries' board and chief executive officer had been lead to believe they had.

NSW Opposition transport spokesman Barry O'Farrell says the episode has not been properly explained.

"We clearly need to know exactly what went on in an organisation which is not particularly large, in which you would assume communication lines should be better," he said.

Mr O'Farrell says the incident highlights the need for an independent safety regulator that reports to Parliament, not just the Minister.

"Until you have an independent transport safety regulator reporting directly to Parliament, as does the ICAC, the Audit Office and the Ombudsman, you're going to end up with these sorts of situations because that person will not going to be frank and fearless in their advice," he said.
A spokesman for the Minister says the safety regulator will look into all the circumstances surrounding the breakdown in safety procedures.

Source: ABC Sydney

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Labwire Inc. (Pink Sheets:LBWR) announced today that the Company sponsored a workshop on International Drug Testing on September 19th, 2005 in Houston, TX. The workshop was hosted by the Council on Alcohol and Drugs and attracted representatives from several international firms in the Oil & Gas, Construction, and Transportation industries that have vested interests in the extension of drug testing procedures to overseas projects.

Attendees at this year's conference included Shell (Pink Sheets:RYDAF), ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), Chevron (NYSE:CVX), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL), CITGO, Jacobs Engineering (NYSE:JEC), KBR, division of Halliburton, Baker Hughes (NYSE:BHI), BP (NYSE:BP), and Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY).

The workshop featured presentations by Dr. Anthony Wong and Per Bjorklov, two founding directors of the International Organization of Drugfree Workplaces (IODW). Dr. Wang is the Director of Maxilab, the largest provider of drug testing services in South America and Mr. Bjorklov is President of the European Workplace Drug Testing Society (EWDTS). Both individuals are avid supporters of the standardization of worldwide drug testing procedures.
Dexter Morris, President of Labwire, and Chairman of IODW, stated, "This workshop is a very important milestone for the International Organization of Drugfree Workplaces as it represents the first true gathering of all of the key participants in the international drug testing industry. It is imperative these organizations work together to establish uniform drug testing standards that will be accepted internationally and the IODW is poised to facilitate the global implementation of these standards through the appropriate private and government agencies."

The Company's Labwire Platform is a leading edge information technology solution that gathers, stores, retrieves and manages sensitive security and compliance data for multiple industries, including Oil & Gas, Transportation, and Retail. The Labwire Platform is a proprietary, web-based application that creates a virtual employment screening chain streamlining all aspects of the screening process in a secure and cost-efficient solution. The platform provides the lowest operating cost per transaction in the industry.

Labwire Inc., Headquartered in Houston, TX, provides secure and compliant employee drug screening and background checking services to Fortune 500 corporations. The Company offers a comprehensive set of solutions to manage all aspects of employee screening services including drug testing program development and policy analysis, medical review services, supervisor training and secure real-time online data management via the Labwire Platform.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

Source: PRIMEZONE MEDIA NETWORK

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