Drugs and AIDS Testing

Drug and AIDS testing are two of the most controversial medical procedures – controversial because of the nature of their necessities.

Drug tests, despite the invasiveness of the procedure, have become a standard practice in the office setting. This is due to the social ramifications of drug addiction-related behavior. No employer would want to hire someone who is using drugs, especially one who has developed an addiction to substance abuse.

There are a variety of ways to conduct a drug test, most notable of which is the urinalysis. Urine samples are taken from the subject, and are submitted to a battery of tests that sniff out for the most commonly abused substances, namely cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines and opiates, and phencyclidine. Other tests include saliva tests, which are generally more expensive; blood tests, which yield more efficient and accurate results; sweat tests, and hair tests.

Testing for AIDS in the meantime, is a necessity for sexually active individuals. These tests can help detect – and conversely, treat – HIV and AIDS during the early stages of its development. Early detection can also prevent the propagation of the said disease.

Since AIDS tests generally rely on the detection of the useless antibodies the virus forces the body to create, a window period averaging at about twenty-five days from the moment of infection to the testing date is generally observed. The various AIDS tests available include the testing of oral fluids (aside from saliva) and urinalysis. Some people could opt for home testing kits or rapid testing procedures, although these two yield uncertain results, at best.