Federal task force recommends screening all adults for unhealthy drug use

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending that all adults 18 and over be screened regularly for unhealthy drug use, which is using illegal drugs or taking medicines not specified for a medical reason. The agency previously did not issue a recommendation on the subject, saying that there was insufficient evidence to suggest regular screening. The new guidance comes after reviewing studies that evaluated the sensitivity of screening tools — most of which were moderately or highly accurate in identifying unhealthy drug use. At the same time, even though unhealthy drug use is prevalent in about 8% of adolescents, the USPTF concludes that there isn't enough evidence about the benefits of screening this population to recommend that this group be screened as well.