Peer-Reviewed Study Confirms: False Positives from PEth Tests Are Real
Published July 30, 2025 | Pilots for HIMS Reform
In a landmark peer-reviewed study published July 25, 2025 in the Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, airline captain, author, and researcher Karlene Petitt has delivered hard scientific proof that Dried Blood Spot (DBS) PEth tests collected via finger prick can produce false positives—even in people who have not consumed alcohol.
This breakthrough directly contradicts the FAA’s long-standing position that such tests are “infallible.” Pilots and air traffic controllers across the nation have suffered devastating consequences based on this flawed testing. This study changes everything.
The Facts: What the Study Found
Petitt abstained from alcohol for more than 30 days before submitting 21 total samples, including:
- 1 whole blood sample (venipuncture) → Result: Negative
- 20 DBS (finger prick) blood spot samples → 10 tested positive, up to 83 ng/ml
All samples came from the same individual, drawn the same day, and sent to the FAA’s preferred lab, USDTL. The only difference? Slight procedural variations in the DBS finger prick collections—like using hand sanitizer, pressing the finger to the paper, or “milking” the finger.
While only one venipuncture (whole blood) PEth sample was submitted—and it tested negative—that single result is significant when compared to the 10 false positives that emerged from the 20 DBS cards collected on the same day. The dramatic discrepancy underscores a critical point: the blood itself was clean, yet the DBS method introduced contamination or error. This contrast challenges the FAA’s long-held assumption that PEth testing via dried blood spot is scientifically infallible.
Pilots Have Warned About This for Years
Long before this study, airmen in the FAA’s Special Issuance system—including many involved with Pilots for HIMS Reform—have warned that Dried Blood Spot PEth testing was unreliable and unregulated. These warnings were dismissed, and the pilots raising them were often punished or silenced.
This peer-reviewed study validates what many airmen have experienced firsthand: you can test positive even if you haven’t consumed alcohol.
Follow the Money: A System Built on Profit, Not Safety
The sole lab authorized to process DBS PEth tests—USDTL—also profits directly from its use. The test was developed, marketed, and financially leveraged without FDA approval. Pilots have been forced to undergo this form of testing even though its reliability is unproven and its procedures are easily contaminated.
The FAA’s own policies force airmen into a system where failure means career destruction—but the test’s integrity was never questioned until now.
Why It Matters
Under FAA medical protocols, a positive PEth test can end a career—even without supporting evidence or actual impairment. Petitt’s study proves that pilots can be falsely accused of drinking based on a flawed test alone. That’s not just unjust—it’s dangerous for aviation safety and mental health.
“If the participant involved in this study had been mandated to take a DBS PEth test and subsequently received either of these two false positive tests, she would have lost her pilot’s license, her career, the custody of her children, and/or her life.”
We Demand Oversight. We Demand Reform.
There is no excuse for the FAA to continue relying on a test that now has proven false positives. This is not just a technical error—it is a systemic failure that continues to destroy lives and careers.
We call for immediate action:
- ✅ Suspend DBS PEth testing immediately
- ✅ Investigate past cases where PEth tests were used as sole evidence
- ✅ Mandate transparency and FDA approval for all forensic tests used in FAA medical determinations
- ✅ Establish an independent oversight council for FAA medical reviews
No airman should be convicted by science that isn’t sound.
The Pilots for HIMS Reform Act of 2025
This research underscores the urgent need for the Pilots for HIMS Reform Act of 2025, a comprehensive bill now publicly available in PDF form. Our proposed legislation demands:
- ✔ Modernization of FAA medical systems
- ✔ Limits on coercive testing and surveillance
- ✔ A national registry of FAA-sanctioned tests and methods
- ✔ An independent oversight panel to audit HIMS-related decisions
The science now backs our call: reform is no longer optional—it’s overdue.
Give Credit Where It’s Due
This study was authored and self-funded by Karlene Petitt, who has long advocated for transparency and reform in aviation medicine. You can read her full breakdown of the findings here:
🔗 False Positive Blood Tests – KarlenePetitt.com
🌐 Visit Karlene’s Main Website
The Delta captain referenced in the acknowledgments—who contributed support, documentation, and data—is none other than Captain Michael Danford, co-founder of Pilots for HIMS Reform.
📖 Read the Full Peer-Reviewed Study Here
What You Can Do
📨 Contact Your Elected Officials
📝 Share Your Story Anonymously
This article was submitted by a coalition member of Pilots for HIMS Reform and reflects their interpretation of the published research. We thank Karlene Petitt for her courageous contribution to science and aviation justice.