I wrote this essay in response to Michael Langan’s piece (reblogged on this site) on the crucial importance of diagnostic accuracy (6/5/2015)
Very pleased to see Michael’s explanation of diagnostic accuracy, especially in his coverage of the dangers of false positives.
While he covered it elsewhere in his blog, it bears highlighting that while a “false positive” in clinical medicine can lead to more refined testing before one begins on a costly treatment regimen, a “false positive” in forensic medicine can lead not only to loss of one’s right to practice but in fact to one’s very freedom. And, since the very test that is yielding the false positive is explicitly known to produce such, the likelihood that more people are going to be falsely deprived of their civil rights and their fundamental liberty is concomitantly higher. PHPs and Medical Boards know this and have been complicit with this scam.
This would be bad…
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Disrupted Physician 
I have to mention one that was used against me. I was so livid. And, I’ve never seen it reported to have happened with others.
I had been taking Dexedrine as prescribed. My urine drug screen showed PPA – Phenylpropanolamine. The “expert” in addiction stated that it clearly showed how I had been seeking and using OTC Stimulants. Given PPA’s potential to cause stroke, she used it as argument for why I was unsafe to practice.
I was clueless at first. I knew without any question that I never used PPA or any OTC stimulant. In fact, I’d always made a point to mention to my patients not to use OTC decongestants and cold medicines especially ones with the “D” in the name. When I had colds I might use Little Noses saline drops and Echinacea. (Oh, Echinacea became evidence that I used “herbs” as well.)
I’d eventually talked with a Pathologist whose expertise was toxicology. He knew right away what had happened. He provided me with the books that explained that PPA is a metabolite of Dexedrine. About 2 % of metabolites are PPA.
Subsequently when I told another “expert” in addiction about it, he said he’d never heard of that, didn’t bother to look at the references, and said he trusted the first doc – yeah, he knew her. She was his boss.
You touched a nerve.
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It is about control, money and junk science. I take Allegra D on occasion without problems but my PHP will not allow it. I instead retired from their criminal acts and inslavement. I cannot agree with you more. It is about big business not excellent treatment. The treatment of drug abuse has become a religion.
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Typical, David – did it impact your practice?
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