What is the role of a medical review officer?
A medical review officer (MRO) is a licensed physician who is also an expert in drug and alcohol testing and the Federal regulations governing such testing. It is the job of the MRO to ensure the integrity of the drug test. If a test is positive, the medical review officer consults with the student and/or the student’s family and gives them an opportunity to supply evidence that there was a justifiable reason for the positive test, such as a properly prescribed legal medication. If the MRO determines that the positive test was not the result of illegal drug use, the test is reported as negative. Having an MRO on board helps protect the rights of students and can have the added benefit of strengthening the school’s position if the test results are ever challenged. Most laboratories can provide a list of available MROs. To verify the certification status of MROs, see the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Web site at http://www.asam.org. For more information about certified la
