In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by Paul Jannetto, Ph.D., director of the Clinical and Forensic Toxicology Lab, Clinical Mass Spectrometry Lab, and Metals Lab at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Pritt and Dr. Jannetto discuss the current state of the opioid crisis in the United States, its impact on public health, and the important role of laboratory testing in addiction medicine and pain management patients.

Specific topics of discussion include:

• The roles that testing and screening programs play in identifying opioid addiction and facilitating treatment planning. 
• Different controlled substance monitoring profiles and addiction rehabilitation monitoring profiles offered at Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
• Barriers in implementing effective testing strategies within communities heavily impacted by the opioid crisis.
• The importance of education and consultation in helping physicians support their patients.