Todde asked
Can Suboxone be detected on a normal drug screen or does it take a specific drug screen
Answer
There are many different kinds of drug tests but the most common type of drug test looks for 5 things:
- Amphetamines (Adderall, amphetamine salts)
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Opiates
- PCP
This type of test is known as a 5 panel drug test.
Suboxone is a combination of two medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid type drug but its chemical structure is quite different than common opiates such as morphine, codeine and oxycodone. It USUALLY does not show up on a standard 5 panel test. In most cases, a broader screening is needed, such as a 10 panel drug test or a test that is specific for buprenorphine.
I have seen cases where buprenorphine has shown up as positive on 5 panel tests, but I would assume those are false positives or the patient did in fact take something that would show up.