Will buprenorphine test positive for opiates?

Although it counts as an opioid, buprenorphine is different enough in structure to opioids that it won’t show up or test positive with a standard or extended opioid assay. This is helpful to know if you want to work during your opioid addiction recovery, and you are worried that buprenorphine may appear on a drug test.

It will only show up if the company or your doctor orders a buprenorphine-specific test, or another sort of testing, such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, which is expensive. These are entirely separate immunoassays that will test for buprenorphine. Some doctors may order buprenorphine-specific assays to check that you are taking your buprenorphine as prescribed.

If you find yourself in a situation where your employer has requested a specific test for buprenorphine, and it comes back positive, you still have protection under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Your buprenorphine prescription serves as legal proof that you have the right to take it and you can also obtain more documentation from the clinic that helps you with treatment to support your case. Most employers cannot deny you work based on your status as a buprenorphine patient unless they have a justified reason, or if taking buprenorphine would impact on your workplace safety.