When a laboratory report contains a string of letters and numbers like 10DSP/No THC/PHN, it represents a highly specific instruction or outcome from a chemical analysis. These abbreviations are medical shorthand used by laboratories, employers, or legal entities to quickly convey the scope and parameters of a drug test. The sequence outlines the number of drug classes analyzed, the deliberate exclusion of a common substance, and a specific technical or regulatory component of the test.
Deconstructing the Drug Test Codes
The first element, 10DSP, defines the scope of the screening procedure. The “10” refers to a 10-panel test, a comprehensive type of drug screen. The “DSP” is a standard laboratory abbreviation, often standing for “Drug Screen Panel” or “Drug Screen Profile.” This means the test detects metabolites from ten different classes of substances, a broader scope than the common 5-panel test. Testing typically involves an initial immunoassay screen, followed by confirmation using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) if a preliminary positive result is found.
The second component, No THC, is a direct instruction to the laboratory. THC, or Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. The “No THC” designation means the test is configured to exclude testing for cannabis metabolites entirely. This exclusion is common for employers in jurisdictions where cannabis use is legal for medicinal or recreational purposes. By removing THC, employers focus on substances that pose an immediate risk to workplace safety without penalizing employees for off-duty, legal cannabis use.
The final abbreviation, PHN, is less standardized and often requires context from the specific lab or client. One interpretation relates to specimen integrity, where “PH” refers to the urine’s potential of hydrogen, or pH level. Testing the pH is a standard part of specimen validity testing, which helps detect attempts to adulterate or tamper with the sample. A result outside the normal human urine range of 4.5 to 8.0 would flag the sample as suspicious. Alternatively, “PHN” could signify a specific drug class, such as certain prescription pain medications, or a proprietary code for a specific client protocol.
Substances Included in a 10-Panel Screen
The 10-panel screen, even excluding THC, targets illicit and prescription drugs. The core of the panel focuses on four classes of illicit substances: amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, and phencyclidine (PCP). Amphetamines include drugs like methamphetamine. The opiate class covers natural opioids such as morphine and codeine, though detecting synthetic opioids often requires an expanded panel.
The remaining six panels typically focus on prescription medications that carry a risk of dependence or misuse. These include barbiturates, a class of depressants, and benzodiazepines, which are commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders. The panel also screens for methadone, often used in opioid addiction treatment, and propoxyphene, a former pain medication.
The final two panels often include methaqualone (Quaaludes), or may be substituted with modern drugs of concern like synthetic opioids or buprenorphine, depending on current drug trends and the laboratory’s protocol. This flexibility allows the 10-panel format to adapt to new substances of abuse. The detected drug classes ensure the test covers both street drugs and frequently abused prescription medications.
Context and Implications of the Results
The code string—10DSP/No THC/PHN—describes the parameters of the drug screening process. This tailored testing request is often driven by an employer’s need to balance compliance with evolving state laws regarding cannabis and maintaining a safe workplace. Results from this panel are reported as negative, positive, or inconclusive for each of the ten tested drug classes.
A negative result means the concentration of drug metabolites was below the established cutoff threshold for each substance. A positive result indicates that metabolites were detected above the cutoff limit, which typically triggers a confirmation test to verify the finding. If the PHN component flagged an abnormal pH level, the result would be inconclusive or invalid, requiring the collection of a new, untainted sample for analysis. This configuration provides a comprehensive assessment of recent substance use while explicitly excluding the presence of THC.