In Part 2 of Questionable Drug Testing, host Dr. Kernan Manion continues an amazing conversation with Dr. Michael Langan, author of the blog DisruptedPhysician.com. Michael has intensively studied the PHP (physician health program) movement and its 47 state programs’ use of inappropriate alcohol biomarker drug testing in assessing physicians referred for the question of substance abuse-related occupational impairment. The EtG urine test as well as others routinely used by PHPs are known to produce false positive results. Use of these tests in such a forensic environment was strongly advised against by SAMHSA, the US Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, specifically because such alcohol biomarker tests were KNOWN to have a very problematic incidence of false positivity. However, these test results are still routinely being used to mandate compliance with PHP’s incontestable diagnosis of definitive alcohol abuse and its “recommendation” to the medical board (MLB) that the physician immediately cease practice and go to a PHP-network facility out-of-state at exorbitant cost under threat of loss of license and public humiliation. These tests were never intended to answer the question of “occupational impairment” or even to establish a diagnosis of “substance dependence,” and yet PHPs portray as much to the MLB and to the rights-deprived physician and his/her counsel who naively accept this as established scientific proof. The physician is deprived of any recourse to contest. As presented, there would be little doubt that such a knowingly wrongful process is equivalent to fraudulent diagnosis. The consequences for the wrongfully charged physician are dire.
(Due to the length of the original interview and its immense importance, the podcast was divided into two separate podcasts. This is Part 2.)
If you’re a physician, physician’s counsel or simply interested in a deeper exploration of the specifics of the ill-advised use of such tests, the harms that may ensue and potential approaches to confronting this wrongdoing, be sure to visit [https://www.physicianrights.net/drugtestwebinar] to be notified of our upcoming free live webinar specifically devoted to more deeply understanding these harmful practices and what you can do to defend your rights. We’ll send you the Zoom webinar and Facebook Live logistics as soon as they're finalized.
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Confronting Questionable Drug Testing in US Physician Health Programs (part 2)