Scrupulous care to document legality
Trustworthy testing for forensic cases
In circumstances where a patient’s drug testing results are presented as an exhibit of evidence in forensic or legal proceedings, maintaining the chain of custody is critical. Chain of custody, or chain of evidence, refers to the documentation process required for physical evidence to be accepted in court. This process protects the rights of the individual contributing the specimen and minimizes specimen tampering by demonstrating who handles the specimen and the location of the specimen at all times.
The chain of custody documentation process provides:
Scenarios that may require chain of custody testing include1:
A Test in Focus
Loralie Langman, Ph.D., explains the difference between chain of custody and clinical toxicology testing. Chain of custody is a process used for toxicology testing when the results might have legal implications for the individual tested. Clinical toxicology testing is used for routine medical care. Mayo Clinic Laboratories offers a full range of clinical and forensic toxicology testing.
Secure forensic results
At Mayo Clinic Laboratories, chain of custody drug testing is performed under controlled conditions at our CLIA-certified Clinical and Forensic Toxicology Laboratory in Rochester, Minnesota. We offer the chain of custody process documentation for many of our clinical drug tests. Per regulatory requirements, all chain of custody urine samples submitted receive adulterants testing and confirmation of all presumptive positive screening results.
Our laboratory experts adhere to the highest quality standards to ensure chain of custody drug test results are documented correctly, providing clients the confidence to support forensic patient care.
Mayo Clinic Laboratories does not perform workplace drug testing. Any specimens submitted for workplace drug testing purposes will be canceled immediately.
Key testing
To simplify the chain of custody ordering process, Mayo Clinic Laboratories offers a convenient Chain of Custody test kit (T282), which includes the Chain of Custody request form, appropriate specimen containers, seals, and required documentation.
Urine screening panels
Urine confirmatory testing
ETOHX | Ethanol, Chain of Custody, Random, Urine
Serum screening panels
Serum confirmatory testing
Meconium screening panels
Meconium confirmatory testing
References