Method for prevention of specimen tampering in substance abuse testing and test area relating thereto
First Claim
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1. A method for preventing tampering in the collection of a specimen from a subject utilizing a container for use by said subject to either receive said specimen or to dispense a tagging substance for ingestion by said subject, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) identifying a subject using an individual-specific subject identification;
(b) delivering said container to said subject for administration of an ingestible tagging substance to said subject and preventing substitution of said container or said identified subject by essentially continuously monitoring said identified subject and said container until said identified subject effects proper use of said container and relinquishes said container and thereafter collecting and analyzing said specimen, to determine the presence of said tagging substance therein; and
(c) preventing introduction of a false specimen by measuring predetermined physicochemical characteristics of said specimen collected from said subject.
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Abstract
This invention provides a method and a test area to prevent tampering in the collection of specimens for substance abuse testing from a subject utilizing a specimen collection container. More particularly, the present invention prevents the substitution of the subject by another person and prevents the subject from introducing a previously obtained and concealed false specimen while minimizing intrusion on the subject'"'"'s privacy.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for preventing tampering in the collection of a specimen from a subject utilizing a container for use by said subject to either receive said specimen or to dispense a tagging substance for ingestion by said subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying a subject using an individual-specific subject identification; (b) delivering said container to said subject for administration of an ingestible tagging substance to said subject and preventing substitution of said container or said identified subject by essentially continuously monitoring said identified subject and said container until said identified subject effects proper use of said container and relinquishes said container and thereafter collecting and analyzing said specimen, to determine the presence of said tagging substance therein; and (c) preventing introduction of a false specimen by measuring predetermined physicochemical characteristics of said specimen collected from said subject. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for preventing tampering in the collection of a specimen from a subject utilizing a container for use by said subject to either receive said specimen or to dispense a tagging substance for ingestion by said subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying a subject using an individual-specific subject identification; (b) delivering said container to said subject and preventing substitution of said container or said identified subject by essentially continuously monitoring said identified subject and said container until said identified subject effects proper use of said container and relinquishes said container; and (c) preventing introduction of a false specimen by administering to said subject an ingestible tagging substance and measuring the presence or amount of said tagging substance in said specimen collected from said subject. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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- 24. A test area comprising a registry for subject identification, a container dispenser, said container dispenser dispensing a tagging substance container, said tagging substance container containing an ingestible tagging substance, a toilet compartment having a closable entrance and at least one toilet compartment sidewall, said sidewall having at least one aperture assembly containing an aperture, a connecting area between said registry and said toilet compartment, a specimen collection container deposit area, and at least one monitoring camera so positioned in said test area that said camera views substantially all of said registry, said container dispenser, said closable entrance of said toilet compartment, said connecting area therebetween, said at least one aperture assembly and said specimen collection container deposit area to enable continuous monitoring of said subject from the start of said subject identification during administration of said tagging substance to said subject in accordance with a prescribed administration procedure, until said subject voids a specimen into a specimen collection container and deposits, in accordance with a prescribed deposit procedure, said collection container containing said specimen in said deposit area.
- 26. A test area comprising a registry for subject identification, a toilet compartment having a closable entrance and at least one toilet compartment sidewall, said sidewall having at least one aperture assembly containing an aperture, a connecting area between said registry and said toilet compartment, a specimen collection container deposit area, and at least one monitoring camera so positioned in said test area that said camera views substantially all of said registry, said closable entrance of said toilet compartment, said connecting area therebetween, said at least one aperture assembly and said specimen collection container deposit area to enable continuous monitoring of said subject from the start of said subject identification until said subject voids a specimen into a specimen collection container and deposits, in accordance with a prescribed deposit procedure, said collection container containing said specimen in said deposit area and a remote monitoring station, wherein said monitoring camera is controllable and/or viewable from said remote monitoring station.
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28. A method for preventing tampering in the collection of a specimen from a subject utilizing a container for use by said subject to either receive said specimen or to dispense a tagging substance for ingestion by said subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying a subject using an individual-specific subject identification; (b) delivering said container to said subject for administration of an ingestible tagging substance to said subject and preventing substitution of said container or said identified subject by essentially continuously monitoring said identified subject and said container until said identified subject effects proper use of said container and relinquishes said container, and thereafter collecting and analyzing said specimen, to determine the presence of said tagging substance therein; and (c) preventing introduction of a false specimen by restricting actions of said subject. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification