How We Work: Sources, Fact-Checking and Corrections
Every page here is written by the DrugTestAnswers editorial team, a small group of writers and researchers. We aren't medical professionals, so we do the next best thing: we cite the people who are, and we show our sources.
Sources we rely on
- Federal: SAMHSA's Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (urine and oral fluid), SAMHSA TAP 32 Clinical Drug Testing in Primary Care, 49 CFR Part 40 for DOT procedures, NIAAA for alcohol.
- Peer-reviewed: e.g. Moeller et al., "Clinical Interpretation of Urine Drug Tests", Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2017; studies indexed on PubMed.
- Manufacturers: product labels and published instructions, quoted as claims, never as proof.
How we handle numbers
Detection windows vary with dose, frequency, body fat, hydration, metabolism and the test's cutoff. We always give ranges, say where they come from, and point out when evidence is thin. Our detection table lists a source on every row.
Product pages
We describe what a product contains and claims and what independent evidence says. We don't fake hands-on tests or reviews. Where evidence is weak, we say so, even when we earn a commission.
Lines we don't cross
No coaching for DOT, federal, safety-sensitive, or court and probation testing. No step-by-step instructions for substituting or adulterating a specimen.
Updates and corrections
Pages show the date they were last updated. Found an error? Use the contact page and we'll fix it and note the change.
No product can promise you a pass, and the only certain way is to not use. Tampering with a drug test can be illegal and is usually treated as a refusal. We never help anyone beat DOT, federal, safety-sensitive, or court-ordered tests. If substance use is getting on top of you, call the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline on 1-800-662-4357 (24/7, English and Spanish), or call or text 988 in a crisis. Source: samhsa.gov.