Can a Drug Test Tell the Difference Between Percocet and Vicodin?

Question by juswondering: Can a drug test tell the difference between percocet and vicodin?
[rewrite]My friend is taking percocet for his back.He ran out of percocet and bought some vicodin from one of our friends.He took a vicodin before his appointment (and all day before) and they tested him.The test came back that he had NO percocet in his system.Do they really have a test to determine you have specifically percocet in his body??If they do…seems very expensive.I just thought they test for the general ones like:opiate,cocaine,thc,etc.
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Best answer:
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Answer by 20 Year Nurse
Percocet and Vicodin would both test a simple positive in the opiate category on a drug test.

Answer by Pamela R
The confirmation test (usually GC/MS, or LC/MS/MS) can tell the difference between chemically similar drugs.
General
LABs test 1) Initial Test (IMMUNOASSAY)
2)Confirmation test
Some labs do
3)Adulteration test (for cheating agents- bleach,Creatinine,Nitrite,etc )
Also
The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) requires that companies test for five specific categories of drugs.
(NIDA5)
· Cocaine – Includes Cocaine, Crack and Benzoylecognine
· Cannabinoids – Includes Marijuana and Hash
· Amphetamines – Includes Speed, Methamphetamines and amphetamines
· Opiates – Includes Heroin, Opium, Codeine and Morphine
· Phencyclidine – PCP

Depending on what profession you are in or what business or governmental department you are required to take a drug test for, there may be expansion tests required. These test for additional drugs such as:

· Barbiturates
· Hydrocodone
· Mehqualone
· Benzodiazepines
· Methadone
· Propoxyphene
· Ethanol
· MDMA or Ecstasy

Drugs that can be tested for, but are not commonly tested for include:

· LSD
· Tryptamines
· Phenethylamines
· Inhalants

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