Methamphetamine Positivity Increase

Millennium Health Study Reveals Nationwide Increase in Urine Drug Test Positivity for Methamphetamine

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – January 5, 2021 – A study conducted by Millennium Health and published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine reveals a dangerous increase in definitive urine drug test positivity for methamphetamine alone and in combination with other substances.

The analysis included two million patient specimens collected between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019, and found:

• A 340% nationwide increase in the probability of being positive for methamphetamine
• The methamphetamine-positive population was most likely to be co-positive for non-prescribed fentanyl, heroin, and other opioids, and the odds of co-positivity increased over time
• Positivity and co-positivity varied by geographic location

“There are many reasons why this data is so alarming, including the fact that there is no antidote for methamphetamine overdose and no FDA-approved medications indicated for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder,” said lead author and Director, Scientific Communications, Leah LaRue, PharmD, PMP. “Methamphetamine use can have severe consequences, some of which may last for years. Additionally, the combination of methamphetamine with other substances increases the risk of poor health outcomes, including overdose.”

This study highlights the rising positivity rates of methamphetamine across the country and the need to carefully evaluate patients for polysubstance use to tailor and adjust treatment plans. The increasing combination of methamphetamine and opioids may require public health education and overdose prevention efforts that may not have previously reached the non-opioid user. Identifying trends in definitive methamphetamine UDT results may help ascertain areas of the country most affected by the methamphetamine use crisis and better inform those involved in care and prevention efforts.

The Journal of Addiction Medicine study can be accessed here.

 

About Millennium Health

Millennium Health is an accredited specialty laboratory with over a decade of experience delivering timely, accurate, clinically-actionable information through our nationwide medication monitoring and drug testing services. Clinical drug testing is used in various healthcare settings to obtain objective information about patients’ recent use of prescription medications and illicit drugs. Processing over a million specimens each year allows us to provide real-time analytics regarding emerging drug use trends, such as our studies published in JAMA and our most recent Millennium Health Signals Report™.

 

Media Contact

Jody Schneider
Millennium Health
Jody.Schneider@millenniumhealth.com
(619) 917-6810