Urine drug testing is the gold standard

THE Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Malaysia (AOEMM) wishes to respond to the article published by The Star titled “‘Blood tests preferred for vocational driving licence’” (June 28; online at bit.ly/4nIpvFl). While we fully support efforts to enhance road safety and reduce substance misuse-related incidents among vocational drivers, AOEMM believes that urine drug testing remains the most practical, cost- effective, and internationally accepted method for routine drug screening.

For over 15 years, AOEMM has been actively involved in training Malaysian medical and occupational safety practitioners in workplace drug testing, following established international standards, including US Department of Transportation (US DOT) regulations. These protocols – recognised globally as the gold standard for safety-sensitive industries – specifically endorse urine, and more recently oral fluid, as the primary specimens for drug testing. Blood testing is not approved under US DOT guidelines for routine workplace screening due to its shorter detection window, higher cost, and more invasive collection process.