Can a medical doctor rundrug screening tests during routine bloodwork without your permission?
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Can a medical doctor rundrug screening tests during routine bloodwork without your permission?
Asked on November 5, 2011 under Malpractice Law, New Jersey
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Whether or not a medical doctor can run drug test screening during routine bloodwork without the permission of the person whose blood is taken is determined upon the context of the bloodwork being done and the drug srceening. Meaning, if the testing is done as part of employment testing for drugs then the drug screening is fine.
If the treating physician has a belief that problems complained about by the patient may be the result of drug use, then the drug screening test is allowed as well without permission. You need to realize that even if permission per se was not given for assorted testing of the blood, if the testing was done by the patient's own physician, the results would be protected by the doctor-patient privilege.
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