Rx Guardian^SM Technology & Process: Urine drug screening & pain medication monitoring with Ameritox

The Rx Guardian^SM process from Ameritox, with Rx Guardian CD^SM, uses patented methods and the most comprehensive reference database of pain patients who were clinically assessed as adherent. Patients’ normalized results are compared to the reference database, providing clinicians with added assurance in assessing patients’ pain medication adherence.

Contact Ameritox to learn more about the Rx Guardian^SM process.

The Rx Guardian^SM process results in the Rx Guardian results report^SM, a comprehensive report that gives you insight to help you assess your patients’ pain medication adherence. This process includes:

1. Specimen Validity Testing Once a urine specimen is received in one of our labs, it is scanned into the system and receives a unique lab accession number for the most reliable identification and tracking. Then an alliquoted sample undergoes validity testing (as a part of Initial Testing) using pH values, specific gravity and creatinine to ensure it is a human sample and that it has not been diluted or adulterated.

2. Initial Screening An initial Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) test screens for the presence of opiates, benzodiazepines, illicits and other prescribed or non-prescribed medications.

3. Confirmation Testing If the EIA test result is positive, the sample undergoes confirmation testing through one of the following methods:

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is used to create a fingerprint-like match for each detected prescription medication or illicit. This technology’s superior sensitivity can detect drugs or metabolites at some of the lowest levels in the industry.

Liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is used when optimal specificity and sensitivity are required to determine the absence or presence of your patients’ prescribed medications as well as the presence of non-prescribed medications or illicits.

The methodology to obtain confirmation depends on the type of drug being tested.

4. Rx Guardian CD^SM – Reference database supported by a proprietary algorithm
Once a specimen has undergone laboratory testing the results are certified by our Ameritox Certifying Scientists. We then apply our proprietary normalization algorithm to the test results as part of Rx Guardian CD^SM.

• Rx Guardian CD^SM is the most comprehensive reference database of pain patients clinically assessed as adherent, supported by a proprietary normalization algorithm.
• Our proprietary database and process are derived from more than one thousand actual chronic pain patients.
• A clinical assessment protocol identifies patients who are likely adherent to their chronic opioid therapy.
• The Rx Guardian^SM proprietary algorithm adjusts drug levels for certain physiologic variables, generating a normalized drug value.
• These normalized values populate the Rx Guardian CD^SM reference database.
• Your patients’ results can be compared against this dynamic database of patients to help you assess whether your patients are taking their medication correctly.

5. Rx Guardian Results Report Results are delivered in a comprehensive Rx Guardian^SM results report, which includes your patient’s normalized value and compares it to the Rx Guardian CD^SM reference database.

The comprehensive and easy-to-interpret Rx Guardian^SM results report indicates where test results are inconsistent with the treatment plan—along with explanations of findings. In addition, experienced Ameritox Toxicology Specialists^SM are available for consultation on results.

See a sample Rx Guardian^SM results report and learn how to interpret the results.

When interpreting patient results:

• Less than 5% of patients clinically assessed as adherent in the Rx Guardian CD^SM database have standard scores less than -2 or greater than +2. *
• Less than 1% of patients clinically assessed as adherent in the Rx Guardian CD^SM database have standard scores less than -3 or greater than +3. *
• Patients whose normalized drug values exceed two standard scores from the reference database mean, accompanied by clinical indicators of risk (such as aberrant behaviors), may have a higher likelihood of drug abuse, misuse, or diversion.
• Patients whose normalized drug values fall within two standard scores from the mean of the index database, and who lack clinical indicators of risk (such as aberrant behaviors), may have a lower likelihood of drug abuse, misuse, or diversion.

Using the Ameritox Virtual Toxicologist^SM, the Rx Guardian^SM results report also provides helpful results explanations of any findings that are inconsistent with the prescribed medication treatment plan.

It all adds up to unique insight that only Ameritox can provide—insight that is informing thousands of chronic pain treatment conversations every day.

Contact Ameritox todayto learn more about pain medication monitoring solutions or to make the Rx Guardian^SM process a part of your practice.