Abstract
Letters21 September 2010Urine Drug Testing Is Still an Invaluable Resource for Primary CareJoanna L. Starrels, MD, MS, Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH, and Barbara J. Turner, MD, MSEd, Executive Deputy EditorJoanna L. Starrels, MD, MSFrom Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467; Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118; and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19134.Search for more papers by this author, Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPHFrom Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467; Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118; and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19134.Search for more papers by this author, and Barbara J. Turner, MD, MSEd, Executive Deputy EditorFrom Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467; Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118; and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19134.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-153-6-201009210-00019 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We agree with Dr. Reisfield and colleagues that UDT is a valuable tool for monitoring patients receiving long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain, but our endorsement of its use in primary care is tempered by its limitations. Urine drug testing can detect use of illicit or nonprescribed drugs that is not disclosed by patients, which is essential to managing the risks associated with prescribed opioids. When ordered and interpreted correctly, UDT can also detect nonuse of prescribed opioids. However, although UDT detects these 2 types of aberrant behavior, current evidence does not support the claim that it can ...
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