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| Transportation
February 8 2018

FMCSA Expands Its Drug Testing Panel Effective January 1, 2018

The U.S. Department of Transportation 's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will expand its drug testing panel to include four synthetic opioid drugs: hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone.  Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDMA)has been removed as a confirmatory test analyte, while methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)has been added as an initial test analyte.

The changes will coincide with recent changes to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs, which take effect Jan. 1.

The addition of opioid drugs is intended to address the nationwide epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse.