EVALUATION OF THE ACCURACY OF ON-SITE MULTIANALYTE DRUG-TESTING DEVICES IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE PREVALENCE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN DRIVERS

A principal goal of this research was to conduct a field evaluation of ''on-site'' multi-analyte drug testing devices to determine the most accurate, efficient, and cost-effective device available for the purpo se of rapidly detecting drivers under the influence of drugs. Four on- site kits were selected and evaluated for accuracy and efficiency for the detection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cocaine metabolites ( COC), and opiates (OPI). From 16 December 1995 to 17 March 1996, 303 v oluntary urine specimens were collected by law enforcement officers fr om persons arrested for driving-under-the-influence (DUI). These speci mens were tested using the four selected kits and aliquots of the spec imens were sent to a DHHS certified lab for ''gold standard'' comparis on testing by immunoassay and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. On -site kit sensivity ranged from 82.9% to 100% for THC, 82.5% to 100% f or COC, and all were at 100% for OPI. Specificity, and positive and ne gative predictive values were also determined. Accuracy ranged from 94 .0% to 98.3% for THC, 97.4% to 98.0% for COC, and 99.7% to 100% for OP I. All four kits were in very close agreement on prevalence: 15.5% to 15.8% for THC, all were at 13.2% for COC, and all were at 0.7% for OPI . For law enforcement purposes, sensitivity may be the most important indicator in these kits.