DOT Issues Final Rule on Expanded Drug Testing Panel
The Department of Transportation (DOT) released their Final Rule on November 13th, which states that the federal drug testing requirements have been expanded effective January 1st, 2018.
What does that mean for the Employer?
This means that the DOT drug testing panel will now include four semi-synthetic opioid analytes, which are often prescribed for pain relief (drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, etc.). In addition, the panel will no longer include the analyte methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA). We would recommend that you inform all applicable employees of the changes to the drug panel.
The full drug panel is now (new additions are bolded):
The DOT also issued: Part 40 Final Rule – DOT Summary of Changes.
To reflect the changes to the drug testing panel, the Custody and Control Form (CCFs) have been updated and will go into effect as of January 1, 2018. The new forms can be found at this link. The “old” CCFs are still valid until June 2018.
If you are a member of the EIA’s Drug and Alcohol Consortium, our lab and MRO are already aware of the changes and there won’t be any change to the way that you receive results. The “old” CCFs will be used until the current stock runs out, after which they will be replaced with the new forms. A confirmed positive for the expanded panel will constitute a failed test under DOT regulations.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Loss Prevention Department with any questions or concerns.