Drug Testing: Practical Interpretation Beyond the Urine Cup

Friday, April 24, 2026

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM PT

Location: Harbor D-F, Level 2

Presenter(s)

JoAn Laes, MD

Addiction Physician
Allina
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Slides
Stephanie T. Weiss, MD, PhD, FASAM, FAACT

Staff Research Physician
NIDA/NIH
National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program
Baltimore, Maryland
Evan S. Schwarz, MD, FASAM

Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
Robert Cole Pueringer, MD

Addiction Medicine, Medical Toxicology; Medical Director of Substance Use and Addiction Care Program
Essentia Health
Duluth, Minnesota

Non-presenting author(s)

Jeremiah D. Fairbanks, DO

Physician
Allina
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Timothy J. Wiegand, MD, DFACMT, FAACT, DFASAM

Director of Medicine, Toxicology and Addiction Consulting PLLC and CMO Toxicology Consults
Medicine Toxicology & Addiction Consulting PLLC
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
Rochester, New York

Drug testing plays a critical role in clinical care, monitoring, and the broader social systems that intersect with addiction medicine. Yet many clinicians lack training in the interpretation, regulatory boundaries, and practical implications of testing. This leads to misinterpretation and inappropriate testing potentially leading to harm. This session addresses how to interpret, properly use, and apply drug testing results responsibly. Participants will learn to recognize common misinterpretations, avoid unnecessary testing, interpret testing from alternative matrices, and align with practice standards.

Learning Objectives:

Learners will be able to:

Interpret the limitations of urine, oral fluid, hair, and sweat testing in various settings.
Recognize how misinterpretation of confirmatory or quantitative results may lead to clinical or legal harm, and identify safeguards to prevent misuse.
Evaluate the current role of CLIA-waived and point-of-care tests, including regulatory considerations, emerging technologies, and public health implications.

Disclosure(s):

JoAn Laes, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Stephanie T. Weiss, MD, PhD, FASAM, FAACT: No financial relationships to disclose

Evan S. Schwarz, MD, FASAM: No financial relationships to disclose

Robert Cole Pueringer, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Jeremiah D. Fairbanks, DO: No financial relationships to disclose

Timothy J. Wiegand, MD, DFACMT, FAACT, DFASAM: No financial relationships to disclose