AboutNigel Simmons Expertise I am happy to answer general questions on medicines and hospital care. If possible, please use approved / chemical names rather than brands which are not internationally recognised.
Like all health professionals I am bound by a duty of care which prevents me giving detailed information about medication or treatment of people other than the questioner.
I will endeavour to help wherever possible or point towards more appropriate advice. If however your question crosses too far into patient confidentiality, I hope you will understand why I cannot answer your question.
Consider.. would you want me to discuss your care with a friend or relative without your knowledge?
Experience Registered as a UK pharmacist in 1982 and have worked in a number of hospital and health management posts around the UK. Formerly Chief Pharmacist for a 440 bed general hospital in Cambridgeshire.
Past/Present clients Previously Sysop on CompuServe UK Professionals forum.
Question can benzocaine 7.5% oral pain reliever, proventic inhaler, flovent 44 mcg, or advair, or a combination of these cause a false positive on an oral swab drug screen?
Answer Bonnie
You don't say what the swab test was to detect, but I would assume it would include Cocaine.
Although some sources say that cocaine and benzocaine are too dissimilar to give a false result, there is some commonality in structure, so if the test looks for this element, then a positive result could occur. However, a credible test would look for a unique component of the molecule, and there is sufficient difference between the two compounds to make this possible.
My suggestion would be to ask the screener to test the benzocaine spray and they can then see if it is a false positive.
