Oral fluid or saliva mainly contains mucous and water. When someone has recently taken a drug it can be detected in saliva for several hours. Because drugs can only be detected in saliva for a short time ESR recommends that it is mainly used for post-incident type testing.
ESR can test saliva for two classes of drugs:
- Cannabis
- Amphetamine type stimulants (methamphetamine, amphetamine and MDMA or ecstasy
New Zealand does not have a specific standard for oral fluids. ESR adheres to the Australian testing Standard AS: 4760-2006 “Procedures for specimen collection and the quantitation of drugs in oral fluid”. Our laboratory based oral fluid testing is robust and legally defensible.
We recommend using ESR authorised collectors to ensure chain of custody requirements are followed.
However any person can take an oral fluid specimen providing they follow the correct collection procedure.
ESR provides collectors with certifed swab kits for oral fluid testing. These are available on request from wdt@esr.cri.nz
Results for oral fluid tests
- A negative result is available within 5 working days
- Results from any samples requiring confirmation are available within 10 working days.
Oral Fluid testing brochure
Oral fluid drug testing in the workplace (pdf, 1MB)