The U.S. Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs: current status and future considerations

Area of Science:

• Forensic Toxicology
• Occupational Health
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Established U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) drug testing standards in 1988, with subsequent revisions in 1994, 1998, and 2004.
• The 2004 revisions standardized and mandated specimen validity testing for Federal employee urine specimens.

Framework:

• Proposed scientific and technical guidelines to expand the Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program.
• Inclusion of hair, oral fluid, and sweat patch specimens alongside urine for detecting marijuana, cocaine, phencyclidine, opiates, and amphetamines (including MDMA, MDEA, MDA).
• Permitted on-site point of collection test (POCT) devices for urine and oral fluid, and instrumented initial test facilities (IITFs) for rapid screening of negative specimens.

Implementation:

• Public comment period for the proposed guidelines published in the Federal Register on April 13, 2004.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reviewing comments to finalize guidelines.
• Development of certification programs based on the existing urine drug testing National Laboratory Certification Program model.
• Ongoing voluntary pilot performance testing (PT) programs for non-urine specimens since April 2000.

Implications:

• Addition of accurate and reliable hair, oral fluid, and sweat patch testing to complement urine drug testing.
• Combating specimen adulteration, substitution, and dilution in workplace drug testing.
• Hair testing for up to 90-day drug use detection (pre-employment), oral fluid for recent use (post-accident), and sweat patches for follow-up testing.
• POCTs and IITFs to efficiently identify negative and valid specimens.