Other causes of failed PEth test for alcohol abuse?
My daughter undergoes periodic peth testing for alchohol abuse. She fails regularly, although swears she drinks NOTHING. We have reason to believe she is telling the truth. Assuming she is indeed not drinking, is there a physical condition or ailment that might produce positive peth tests? She is 29, has enlarged lymph nodes, some kind of mysterious condition that gives her severe hives, etc. We are wondering if some type of autoinflammation or autoimmune condition might explain elevated levels. Our daughter is FINALLY discussing this with her regular doctor but if it is some unusual condition a specialist will be needed. The reason the peth test is required is due to a nasty custody dispute with lots of allegations of misconduct. I just want to know if there is ANYTHING other than alchohol consumption that can lead to positive test results. Any thoughts or knowledge of cases? Thanks for reading.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.
It has been brought up the chain... and documented! So when the music stops, they ain’t gonna have a chair...
My husband successfully went through the HIMS program and is now a peer monitor for pilots (his airline requested him to be one). He has jumped through all the hoops and has been in compliance since day 1 of signing his HIMS agreement. He is six years sober as of this week. He works for an overseas carrier and their avmed department has always done the peth test collection and sent it to USDTL here in the states. All his tests have been negative. As of Covid, majority of flying is grounded. The company requested him to do a Peth test a few weeks ago. On the USDTL site he found a collection site in our area. Fast forward to this week, the test came back at 93ng. ALL other tests have been negatives (urine, ctg) and I KNOW he has had ZERO alcohol. The person administering the test was not familiar with the test and kept having to ask her supervisor how to do it. It just made us wonder if her inexperience with administering the test caused a positive result. So my husband and I decided to watch the official collection procedures on the USDTL site, and now we can see there are glaring problems on how she did the test. Every step of the way she did it incorrectly. My husband went to the same testing site yesterday, had them redo the test BUT do a blood draw and also do a hair test. He also did another Peth test (dry blood spot) today with a different company USDTL recommended from their site. Today as well he did a blood draw for a Peth test through Labcorp. So 4 Peth tests total in under 2 weeks, plus the add on of the hair sample.
USDTL - will be responsible for 3 more additional tests. The blood draw and hair taken yesterday by the first company and the dry blood spot taken today by a different company
Labcorp - will be responsible for one blood draw test taken today.
There are major problems that courts and companies are relying on just this one test and throwing everything else to the wayside. Since hair / nails go back 3 months you would think that this would invalidate the Peth.
Even on USDTL site it has the slogan "Alcohol Testing Think 3-3-3" which means using different testing methods like Urine, Blood, Hair / Nails for evaluation.
My husband told me that the other recommended USDTL company he went to this morning, he had to walk the woman on how to do the test! Unbelievable. We are both upset at the ignorance of the people collecting do the dry blood spot test. And mind you this USDTL recommending these companies. I think we should all carefully document how the test is done each and every time. If there is enough data then hopefully we can see a pattern.
Upon evaluating the USDTL instruction video, why is the tester / patient washing their hands and then touching other papers and pen, this sets the test up for contamination. Administrative stuff should all be done first, then wash hands, then isopropyl pad, then the lancet.
Private message sent
There is a serious issue with the PEth dried blood spot testing that is leading to multiple false positives. Talk to your AME’s, the FAA, AOPA anyone who will listen and let them know what is going on. Eventually they will realize this isn’t a bunch of lying pilots but these specific dried blood spot tests are prone to false positives. If you would like you can DM me to talk or get guidance on how I am addressing my issue with a lawyer.
Same here. Feel free to private message me and we can talk via phone. I have worked all my life for this airline career and I'm not about to have some faulty test ruin all those years of hard work and education.
To Milo / FlyBoy / Tools.....There is a common thread among all of us here. The way the dry spot blood test is being administered by the lab employee is skewing the test. The fact that on these past 2 separate occasions (the only 2 conducted here in the states), my husband had to walk the lab tech on how to administer the dry blood spot (DBS) test is troubling. Each time he got blowback on it by the tech. Mind you, these were USDTL recommended facilities administering their Peth test.
So it begs the question, is USDTL doing an audit of these labs they contract with and ensuring that lab techs are following the procedures and administering USDTL'S DBS test properly? If they are auditing, how often is it happening? Is there faulty manufacturing of the DBS cards?
Is the actual Peth test too sensitive to begin with? When will there by FDA approval?
Are there problems with storage and / or transport?
The complete laisse faire attitude by the lab tech about doing the test properly is sickening. They clearly do not understand the ramifications of a positive test or in ALL our instances here a False-positive test.
Should my husband need to do yet another one of these in the states, I will go with him as an eye witness, and film the procedure being done, if possible. People's careers and children are at stake over the inaccuracy of this test.
I truly believe that people's testimony here is only the microscopic tip of the iceberg to a much larger problem with this test, and many other alcohol tests.
Where are the studies of control groups in an isolated and monitored setting that enter rehab, do an initial Peth test upon entry, then repeat the Peth test at 2, 4, 6 weeks subsequently. Plus make sure both methods are used, a blood draw and the DBS, and in addition, send out to labs other than USDTL. I have yet to come across any such research. This certainly would be worth a warranted request to USDTL to see peer review if a study like this has been done.
Wish there was a way to reach out to all unions and general public who must take this test for compliance reasons and hear other testimonials about dealing with false positive on the Peth tests. How do we report labs that are not doing procedures correctly? How do you hold labs / labs tech accountable for not doing a test properly, that can ultimately be disastrous for the individual? Apparently YES you can!!! It's called clinical laboratory malpractice.
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/drug-testing-laboratories-may-be-sued-negligence-south-carolina
The above article also references other states. "Finally, the Court was persuaded by the fact that courts in New York, Pennsylvania and Wyoming have all determined that a drug testing facility owes a duty of care to the person subject to testing."
https://www.mlo-online.com/home/article/13009490/legal-liability-in-urine-drug-testing-could-your-lab-be-exposed
My apologies for the long post.
Everything you say is correct. And there is a lot more going on than is here. Check your private messages and give me a shout, I’ll fill you in, and explain what’s going on with the peth test.
I would love filled in
We all need to come together and bring about a suit. I know of at least a few people who would join in and share some of the financial obligation.
Hi! We are also in Alabama. Could you PM me? I would love to know if we have dealt with the same individuals in the middle who states they are the expert.