Expert: Charles W. Field - 10/21/2004

Question
Mr Field,
Greetings, I live in Texas. Is it legal for a physician to have a patient submit to a drug screen by telling patient screen is only to determine levels of prescribed medication when screening included testing for illegal substances without patient's knowledge or consent?
I hope I am in the right place to ask this question. Thanks for your time.


Answer
I believe that most testing, which usually means taking blood, unfortunately opens the patient to whatever is found in the blood. Now, what the doctor does with the information he/she gleans from the screen is another matter. If you believe he/she disseminated information that wasn't what the test was for, you should consult with a local attorney about your rights in Texas.