What is the difference between a Drug Screen and a Drug Test?

Drug screen and drug test are two terms that have huge differences and can be so devastating if interchangeably used for each other. One major difference between these two is the time they take to be completed. Drug screening provides a faster result while drug testing can be slower oftentimes. Though drug screening is faster, it is also cheaper, but the drug test is slower and even more expensive. Drug screening is a technique that can be quickly used to review multiple samples, ideally.

Drug screen can be less selective and highly reactive. This makes it produce untrue results sometimes when it screens substances like ibuprofen and its metabolites, poppy seeds and OTC sinus medications. When this test screening is carried out, especially for amphetamines, it can come out with over 60 percent positive results, which can later be rendered negative when its drug test is carried out. Still, most laboratories go often for drug screening, that's actually because it's affordable and faster.