Media Coverage

Oxford Immunotec Global PLC, a global, high-growth diagnostics company, today announced that it welcomes the updated Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment of U.S. Health Care Personnel: Recommendations from the National Tuberculosis Controllers Association and CDC, 2019, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1. These guidelines increase the focus on eradicating tuberculosis (TB) disease in the United States through an individual risk-based approach to screening and treatment for Healthcare Personnel (HCP).[CR-LF]T-SPOT.TB is available nationally through Quest Diagnostics and regionally through laboratory partners.

The good news for New Jersey? The state is home to 20 Fortune 500 companies, including four in the Top 100 — Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Financial, Merck and Honeywell — according to the latest rankings by the magazine, which were released Thursday.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The bad news? Two of those 20 companies are in the process of relocating their headquarters out of state.[CR-LF][CR-LF]No. 404: Quest Diagnostics (Secaucus);

CBD here, CBD there, CBD seems to be everywhere. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or confused about all the CBD-infused coverage lately, you’ve come to the right place. [CR-LF]Can you take CBD and fail a drug test?[CR-LF]It’s possible. Quest Diagnostics’ Barry Sample told Consumer Reports the urine test most commonly used for drug tests doesn’t look for CBD; it actually looks for a compound created by the body after THC is metabolized.

This year’s Fortune 500 marks the 65th running of the list. In total, Fortune 500 companies represent two-thirds of the U.S. GDP with $13.7 trillion in revenues, $1.1 trillion in profits, $22.6 trillion in market value, and employ 28.7 million people worldwide. Quest Diagnostics is number 404.

A southern Alabama police department is dropping a field test officers use to detect marijuana after the test suggested THC was in bottled CBD water that didn’t contain the marijuana chemical — a mishap that “exposed the deficiencies” of the test, police said.[CR-LF]Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology at the major drug testing company Quest Diagnostics, said the most common urine tests employers use don’t check for CBD, according to Consumer Reports.

The 26-year-old video producer from Reno, Nev., was shocked when a drug test he took as part of a job application came back positive for marijuana. The problem? He hadn’t used marijuana, he says. Instead, J.C., who prefers not to use his name, had taken CBD, or cannabidiol, from hemp to help with sleep and anxiety. And unlike THC, a related compound in cannabis plants, CBD can’t get you high.[CR-LF][CR-LF]So how can you fail a drug test after taking CBD? The urine test most commonly used doesn’t even look for CBD but instead a compound created by the body when it metabolizes THC, says Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology at Quest Diagnostics, the largest administrator of drug tests in the U.S. “There isn’t going to be a laboratory analytical false positive confusing CBD with a THC metabolite.”

Statistics Canada’s most recent National Cannabis Survey estimates 514,000 Canadians are using cannabis before or during work.[CR-LF][CR-LF]While age and gender don’t play a factor in terms of increasing the likelihood of consumption on the job, frequency of cannabis use does. Of cannabis consumers who use cannabis daily or almost daily, 27% of survey respondents say they also consume just before starting work or during working hours. By comparison, a mere 7% of respondents who enjoy cannabis on a more casual basis admit to doing so on the job.[CR-LF]American diagnostics firm Quest Diagnostics reports that the number of positive drug tests in the workplace hit a 14 year high in 2018, including rising numbers in every state where recreational cannabis is legal. The problem with these figures, however, is that they may just show increases because more tests are being conducted. It doesn’t necessarily mean an increase in consumption.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, May 14th, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th will be paid a dividend of 0.53 per share by the medical research company on Monday, July 22nd. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%.

Some employers choose to build their drug-free workplace programs by leveraging multiple specimen types such as oral fluid, urine, and hair. This diversity allows for accurate, reliable, flexible options that can help to meet a variety of program goals and objectives. Hair drug testing in particular, with its longer window of detection, can detect repetitive drug use for up to 90 days. The ability for a hair drug test to produce a long-term drug use history leads many employers to question whether a hair drug test can consistently and effectively detect one-time drug use.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The simple answer is probably not. Jarod Rowland, Laboratory Supervisor at Quest Diagnostics, specializes in hair testing technology. Rowland explained the strengths and limits of hair tests.

Many employers in New York City will no longer be able to test job applicants for marijuana or THC—the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis—under a rule that was just adopted in the Big Apple. The new mandate will take effect in 2020.[CR-LF][CR-LF]"Prospective employers don't test for alcohol, so marijuana should be no different. But in no way does this bill justify individuals going to work under the influence," said Jumaane Williams, New York City's public advocate and the legislation's sponsor. [CR-LF][CR-LF]We've rounded up the latest news on this topic. Here are SHRM Online resources and news articles from other trusted media outlets.

A friend gave me a great tip tonight! I don't know how I was unaware of this for the past two years![CR-LF][CR-LF]Create a user account with LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, the two big medical companies. Then go into the Apple Health app, tap the Health Data tab, and then the Health Records. Under the Accounts section, Add Account and connect to LabCorp and Quest. In a minute or so, it will suck down all your medical records, from routine health checks (cholesterol and blood pressure) to whatever you've got special to your health situation.

resident and chief executive officer of Quest Diagnostics, Rusckowski is a keen conceptual thinker and his experience and knowledge of the issues facing the industry make him the ideal leader to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead in a dynamic health care environment. Before Quest, Rusckowski was CEO of Philips Healthcare, the largest unit of Royal Philips Electronics. During his time with Philips, revenues increased from approximately 6 billion euros in 2005 to approximately 9 billion euros in 2011, accounting for approximately 39 percent of Philips consolidated revenues, from 21 percent when he became CEO. Before joining Philips, Rusckowski held numerous management positions with the health care division of Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies. He joined Philips when it acquired Agilent’s Healthcare Solutions Group in 2001.

Why do companies use pre-employment drug testing? There are three circumstances in which workers encounter drug tests during the hiring process.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The first is when workers have applied for jobs subject to federally mandated safety testing. Some of those positions are government jobs, such as Customs and Border Patrol agents, while others are in private sector industries such as transportation and nuclear power production.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Urine is the most common sample type, and it's currently the only type permitted by federal testing rules, says Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology at Quest Diagnostics, a clinical laboratory that performs drug testing for employers.

For most of the nearly 30 years I’ve been covering trucking, the industry has been trying to get a federal clearinghouse put in place that will help prevent drivers who test positive for illegal drugs at one company from simply going down the road and getting a job at a different fleet.[CR-LF][CR-LF]It looks like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will finally have one in place in 2020. It’s none too soon, as several factors point to the likelihood that there are more drivers out there under the influence of drugs than the official statistics indicate – and that it’s getting worse.[CR-LF]Last year, Quest Diagnostics, one of the primary labs used to conduct employment drug and alcohol tests, reported that the transportation and warehousing industry saw a 21% increase in positivity rates between 2015 and 2017. And that was before four semi-synthetic opioids (including hydrocodone) were added to the federally mandated drug-testing panel for safety-sensitive workers in January 2018.

For most of the nearly 30 years I’ve been covering trucking, the industry has been trying to get a federal clearinghouse put in place that will help prevent drivers who test positive for illegal drugs at one company from simply going down the road and getting a job at a different fleet.

It looks like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will finally have one in place in 2020. It’s none too soon, as several factors point to the likelihood that there are more drivers out there under the influence of drugs than the official statistics indicate – and that it’s getting worse.

It's the time of year when seemingly everyone in D.C. is sneezing and rubbing their eyes.

Especially for newcomers, allergies seem to be worse in D.C. than in other areas of the country. But one allergist said that might actually be true.

Jenni Yoon works at the Allergy and Asthma Center in Silver Spring, Md. She said she can't be sure why allergies seem to be worse in the district. But Yoon said she's seen a steady increase in the severity of symptoms in the past few years -- with 2019 being the worst.

Employers concerned about the increasing use of marijuana among their workers, especially in states that allow it recreationally, may want to reevaluate their policies dealing with drug testing and/or use. That’s one suggestion from the authors of a recent report on workplace drug testing positiviity rates.

Quest Diagnostics’ analysis this month showed the positive rate of workplace drug tests climbed to its highest level since 2004, mainly due to marijuana. The relaxation of some state laws, combined with the tight labor market have prompted some employers to exclude THC from their drug tests. But others seeking to protect their employees and customers, are advised to weigh the risks the drug may pose to their businesses, as they craft policies.

Oxford Immunotec reported today a 27 percent year-over-year increase in first quarter revenues primarily on growth in tuberculosis testing in all geographies.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, Oxford Immunotec logged $14.8 million in total revenues compared to $11.7 million in the year-ago period. On a constant-currency basis, Q1 revenues increased 39 percent year over year.

On a conference call following release of the company's earnings, Oxford Immunotec CEO Peter Wrighton-Smith noted that revenues came in above the company's implied guidance range of $13.4 million to $14.1 million.

Investors with a long-term horizong may find it valuable to assess Quest Diagnostics Incorporated's (NYSE:DGX) earnings trend over time and against its industry benchmark as opposed to simply looking at a sincle earnings announcement at one point in time. Below is my commentary, albiet very simple and high-level, on how Quest Diagnostics is currently performing.

Before diving into an analysis of these and similar questions, it’s important to get on the same page regarding the substance. Cannabidiol – or CBD – is a chemical found in marijuana and its close relative, hemp. Pure CBD does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana that produces a high.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The most common CBD formulation started as oil, but CBD is also sold as an extract, a vaporized liquid, and an oil-based capsule. CBD-infused beverages are probably the most common CBD product, but use of CBD-based cosmetic and skincare products is surging in both retail stores and online.[CR-LF][CR-LF]This means that one of your workers or applicants might think they are staying on the right side of the law when using a CBD product, but could inadvertently ingest substances that violate your valid drug policies. Barry Sample, the Director of Science and Technology for the drug testing laboratory Quest Diagnostics, recently observed that the government is not ensuring the level of THC remains low because CBD oil is not regulated in the United States. Therefore, he said, “if somebody is using a CBD oil that contains residual THC in it, they very likely could test positive on a urine drug test. Not because of the CBD itself – but because of a contaminant that is in that oil.”

Shares of LabCorp moved lower following the afternoon disclosure and are trading down $1.51 to $164.12. LabCorp competitor Quest Diagnostics (DGX) gave up some of its gains as well but the shares remain up 51c to $98.67 in afternoon trading.

While the ultimate impact of UnitedHealthcare's newly launched Preferred Laboratory Network remains to be seen, some clinical lab players are suggesting it could be the first step in a broader trend.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Last week UHC announced the lab companies — AmeriPath/DermPath, a division of Quest Diagnostics; BioReference and its GeneDx business; Invitae; Laboratory Corporation of America; Mayo Clinical Laboratories; and Quest — it had selected as participants in its PLN program, which will go into effect on July 1, 2019.

Healthcare Technology Analyst Gill holds a conference call with CEO Rusckowski on May 2 at 1 pm hosted by JPMorgan.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated executed a shelf takedown of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.200% senior notes due 2029. Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Securities, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo Securities acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services.

The most recent version of an annual report issued by Quest Diagnostics indicates that 4.4 percent of workplace drug tests in 2018 were positive for illicit drugs, an increase over the 4.2 percent positivity rate in 2017 and the highest rate since 2004. According to Quest, the increase was largely fueled by marijuana use. Across the U.S. work force, the percentage of drug tests that were positive for marijuana rose from 2.6 percent in 2017 to 2.8 percent in 2018.