Beginning on January 1, 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will add opioids to its five-panel drug test. The added drugs in the tests will be the synthetic opioid drugs hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. These drugs are Schedule II controlled substances known by the names Vicodin, OxyContin, Lortab, and Norco, along with other names. FMCSA will be adding these drugs to a new panel of “opioids,” replacing the current panel name of “opiates.”
These changes are made to harmonize the FMCSA’s drug testing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs. FMCSA-regulated companies are advised to change their drug and alcohol testing policies to reflect these changes on Jan. 1, 2018. The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 13, 2017.