The Marker

2. FAQ - Answers of the most frequently asked questions:

What happens with the patients during the waiting period?
The physicians organise this in different ways: some use the waiting time for a physical examination or a therapeutic interview. Others allow their patients to run personal errands and such for up to 2 hours.

Does excessive drinking during the waiting period and before the intake falsify the result?
Rule of thumb: one litre of water can dilute the urine by factor 10. The concentration of the marker sinks below the cut off before the drugs turn negative. Many colleagues interpret strongly diluted urine as an intent to defraud. We measure the urine creatinine concentration in order to prove such tampering.

What about diabetics?
Adjusted diabetics can also take the marker with Coca Cola or another sugared solution .

How do I request a drug analysis?
The drug analysis can either be requested with a letter of referral to the laboratory physician or with the requisition card as request of the joint laboratory.

What is the price of the markers for self-pay patients?
The price of the marker varies from country to country. Please contact our local distributor for detailed information.

What is the price of the marker analysis for self-pay patients?
The price of the marker analysis for self-pay patients varies from country to country. Please contact our local distributor for detailed information.

What does the analysis of one individual drug cost?
Our prices are calculated per individual drug incl. additional determinations such as creatinine, sample check, etc. The price of the drug analysis varies from country to country. Please contact our local distributor for detailed information.

Is it possible to use Coca Cola?
Solely Coca Cola. Only this beverage contains regular household sugar. Diet beverages do not contain sugar. Of course you may use heavily sugared tea or something similar.

Is it a medication?
No. It is internationally confirmed that the marker is neither a medicinal product nor a medical device. Please request the individual confirmation for Your country with us or Your local distributor.

Are there side effects?
No

How long does it take until the marker is completely excreted?
Usually the marker is completely excreted after 6 to 8 hours. Should the patient not urinate in the meantime it is certainly possible to find the marker in the urine at an even later time.

How is the marker stored?
Simply closed at room temperature.

Can the marker become spoiled?
No.

How do I store the sample after collection?
For longer storage (more than 4 hours) we recommend storage in a refridgerator. Although the marker can still be detected unchanged even after 4 weeks of storage at room temperature, drug detection may be hampered due to bacterial growth.

How long is the marker detectable?
In a cooled sample indefinitely.

How long is the urine stored in case additional testing may be necessary?
Usually one week. Longer storage periods are possible by mutual agreement.

Which known attempts to defraud are there with regard to the marker and how can I prevent them?
We experienced 2 important forms of attempted fraud:
1)Sample switching of marked urines
2)Body bypass.

Pos. 1): We administer different markers so that the patients cannot swap or sell the “marked urine” among each other.

Pos. 2): Some drug addicts carry a small sponge in their mouths when they drink the marker solution which absorbs the marker so that it can later be squeezed into the “clean” urine they brought along. We detect this because the marker is administered with heavily sugared liquids (Coca Cola, etc.) since saccharose does not occur in urine. We examine the urine for saccharose.