Substance Abuse Education and Testing Site and Specimen Collection Protocol

A. Testing Site Protocol

1. From the moment they arrive and are handed over to the testing professionals of the independent testing laboratory, the student-athlete shall not be allowed to eat, drink, and go to the restroom without the express permission of the testing site personnel.
2. The student-athlete may not otherwise leave the visual observation of testing site personnel. Failure to abide will result in a positive test.
3. Strictest procedures to protect the privacy of the student-athlete will be maintained by the testing site and laboratory personnel.
4. The student-athlete may be accompanied by one (1) witness to observe the collection procedure, if they so choose.
5. The student-athlete must identify the witness to the drug testing personnel immediately upon arrival at the designated site, and the witness must adhere to all rules governing the drug testing site, both written and implicit.
6. The student-athlete will complete the Authorization to Release Test Analysis (PDF), the Prescription Medicine Use (PDF) and the Disclosure of Supplement Use (PDF) forms upon arrival at the testing site.
7. A student-athlete who is currently taking any prescribed medication on a temporary basis MUST bring the original bottle containing the prescribed medication to the testing location and present it to testing personnel prior to testing. Notification of this requirement will be given with the initial notification of drug testing, prior to arrival at the drug testing site. 

B. Specimen Collection Guideline

1. Only those persons authorized by the McPherson College representative and certified collector will be allowed in the collection room. The certified collector and the McPherson College representative will determine the release of a selected student-athlete from the collection room prior to completing the specimen collection process.
2. Upon arrival, student-athlete will provide photo identification and/or a McPherson College representative will identify the student-athlete. The student-athlete will then print his/her name and arrival time on the Roster Sign-In Form.
3. The student-athlete will select a Custody & Control Form (CCF) from a supply of such and work with collector and the McPherson College representative to complete necessary information before proceeding with the specimen collection process.
4. The student-athlete will select a specimen collection beaker from a supply of such and will be escorted by a collector (same gender) to the restroom to provide a specimen. The student-athlete will place a unique barcode onto the beaker. And then rinse his/her hands with water and then dry hands.
5. The collector will directly observe the furnishing of the urine specimen to assure the integrity of the specimen.
6. The student-athlete will be responsible for keeping the collection beaker closed and controlled.
7. Fluids and food given to student-athletes who have difficulty voiding must be from sealed containers (approved by the collector) that are opened and consumed in the station. These items must be free of any other banned substances.
8. If the specimen is incomplete, the student-athlete must remain in the collection station until the sample is completed. During this period, the student-athlete is responsible for keeping the collection beaker closed and controlled.
9. If the specimen is incomplete and the student-athlete must leave the collection station for a reason approved by the certified collector and the McPherson College representative, specimen must be discarded.
10. Upon return to the collection room, the student-athlete will begin the collection procedure again.
11. Once an adequate volume specimen is provided; the collector will escort the student-student-athlete to the specimen processing table.
12. The specimen collector will instruct the student-athlete to closely observe the specimen processing steps and will then measure the specific gravity.
13. If the urine has a specific gravity below 1.005, no value will be recorded on the CCF and the specimen will be discarded by the student-athlete with the collector observing. The student-athlete must remain in the collection station until another specimen is provided. The student-athlete will provide another specimen.
14. If the urine is concentrated (1.005 SG or higher), the specimen processor will record the specific gravity value on the CCF and then measure the urine’s pH If in range (4.5-7.5 inclusive), the specimen processor will record the pH value on the CCF in the appropriate area. If the student-athlete has a pH greater than 7.5 or less than 4.5, the specimen will be discarded by the student-athlete with the collector observing. The student-athlete must remain in the collection station until another specimen is provided. The student-athlete will provide another specimen.
15. Once the specimen processor has determined the specimen has a specific gravity above 1.005 and a pH between 4.5 and 7.5 inclusive, the sample will be processed and sent to the laboratory.
16. If the laboratory determines that a student-athlete’s sample is inadequate for analysis, at McPherson College’s discretion, another sample may be collected.
17. If a student-athlete is suspected of manipulating specimens (e.g., via dilution, substitution), the collector will collect another specimen from the student-athlete. If a student-athlete provides more than 5 diluted specimens in the same test setting, the Substance Abuse Committee reserves the right for the student-athlete to be considered in the future under the provisions of a Reasonable Suspicion case. 
18. Once a specimen has been provided that meets the on-site specific gravity and pH parameters, the student-athlete will select a sample collection kit from a supply of such.
19. The specimen processor will open the kit, demonstrate to the student-athlete the vials are securely sealed, open the plastic, and open the A vial lid. The processor will pour the urine into the A and B vials and close the lids. The specimen processor should pour urine into vials above the minimum volume level (35 mL in A vial; 15 mL in B vial) and pour as much urine as possible into vials using care not to exceed the maximum levels (90 mL in A vial; 60 mL in B vial).
20. The specimen processor will securely close the lids on each vial and then seal each vial using the vial seals attached to the CCF; assuring seals are tightly adhered to the vials with no tears or loose areas.
21. The specimen processor must then collect all necessary signatures (collector, donor, witness, and collector/specimen processor) and dates/times where indicated on the CCF.
22. The specimen processor will place the laboratory copy of the CCF in the back pouch of the plastic bag and the vials the front pouch of the same bag. The bag should then be sealed. The sealed bag with vials will then be placed in the sample box. The box will then be sealed.
23. The student-athlete is then released by the collector.
24. All sealed samples will be secured in a shipping case. The collector will prepare the case for forwarding. When two split samples are collected and packaged, care must be taken to assure one sample is placed in the shipping container for shipment to the “drugs of abuse” laboratory and one sample is placed in the shipping container for shipment to the “anabolic steroids” laboratory.
25. After the collection has been completed, the samples will be forwarded to the laboratory and copies of any forms forwarded to the designated persons.
26. The samples become the property of McPherson College.
27. If the student-athlete does not comply with the collection process, the collector will notify the McPherson College representative and Drug Free Sport.