Rules and Regulations. Issuance of authorized drug testing panels
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/register/2026/03/13/2026-04981A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 42 CFR Chapter 1 Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs—Authorized Testing Panels AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Issuance of authorized drug testing panels. SUMMARY: HHS herein publishes the panels of Schedule I and II drugs and biomarkers authorized for testing in federal workplace drug testing programs.
The Department has made no revisions to the current drug testing panels for both urine and oral fluid and current required nomenclature for laboratory and Medical Review Officer Reports, effective July 7, 2025. DATES: The current authorized drug testing panels and required report nomenclature remain in effect. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene D. Hayes, Ph.D., MBA, SAMHSA, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Division of Workplace Programs; 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 16N02, Rockville, MD 20857, by telephone
(240)276-1459 or by email at *Eugene.Hayes@samhsa.hhs.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The drug testing panels in this notification specify the analytes and cutoffs for federal agency workplace drug testing specimens and the nomenclature ( *i.e.,* analyte names and abbreviations) that must be used to report federal workplace drug test results. There are no changes to the drug testing analytes, test cutoffs, and report nomenclature published in the January 16, 2025, Notification (90 FR 4662). The Department has edited footnotes 1 and 2 in the drug testing panels for clarity and correctness. This notification is in accordance with Subpart C of the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Urine (UrMG, 88 FR 70768) and the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Oral Fluid (OFMG, 88 FR 70814). Section 3.4 of Subpart C calls upon the Secretary of HHS to “publish the drug and biomarker test analytes and cutoffs ( *i.e.,* the `drug testing panel' and `biomarker testing panel') for initial and confirmatory drug and biomarker tests in the **Federal Register** each year,” and make them available on the internet at *http://www.samhsa.gov/workplace.* Section 3.4 of the UrMG and the OFMG also requires HHS-certified laboratories, instrumented initial test facilities (IITF, urine only), and Medical Review Officers to use the nomenclature ( *i.e.,* analyte names and abbreviations) published with the drug and biomarker testing panels to report federal workplace drug test results. Costs and Benefits No analysis is needed because the current drug testing panels and nomenclature tables remain in effect. Currently, the Department does not require HHS-certified test facilities to implement authorized biomarker tests. Each laboratory and IITF should conduct their own cost analysis when deciding whether to offer biomarker testing to federally regulated clients. The Department will consider costs when deciding whether to require all certified test facilities to test for a specific biomarker. Report Nomenclature—Urine Urine Abbreviation Analyte Δ9THCC Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. BZE Benzoylecgonine. COD Codeine. MOR Morphine. HYC Hydrocodone. HYM Hydromorphone. OXYC Oxycodone. OXYM Oxymorphone. 6-AM 6-Acetylmorphine. PCP Phencyclidine. FENT Fentanyl. NFENT Norfentanyl. AMP Amphetamine. MAMP Methamphetamine. MDMA Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. MDA Methylenedioxyamphetamine. HHS Drug Testing Panel—Urine HHS Drug Testing Panel—Urine Initial test analyte Initial test cutoff 1 (ng/mL) Confirmatory test analyte Confirmatory test cutoff (ng/mL) Marijuana metabolite (Δ9THCC) 2 50 Δ9THCC 15 Cocaine metabolite (Benzoylecgonine) 2 150 Benzoylecgonine 100 Codeine/Morphine 2,000 Codeine 2,000 Morphine 4,000 Hydrocodone/Hydromorphone 300 Hydrocodone 100 Hydromorphone 100 Oxycodone/Oxymorphone 100 Oxycodone 100 Oxymorphone 100 6-Acetylmorphine 10 6-Acetylmorphine 10 Phencyclidine 25 Phencyclidine 25 Fentanyl 3 1 Fentanyl 1 Norfentanyl 1 Amphetamine/Methamphetamine 500 Amphetamine 250 Methamphetamine 250 MDMA/MDA 500 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine 250 Methylenedioxyamphetamine 250 1 *For grouped analytes* ( *i.e.* , two or more analytes that are in the same drug class and have the same initial test cutoff): *Immunoassay:* The test must be calibrated with one analyte from the group identified as the target analyte. The cross-reactivity of the immunoassay to the other analyte(s) within the group must be 80 percent or greater; if not, separate immunoassays must be used for the analytes within the group. *Alternate technology:* Either one analyte or all analytes from the group must be used for calibration, depending on the technology. For a technology that measures a response from the entire group without differentiating between analytes ( *e.g.,* an activity-based assay), the laboratory must compare the result to the initial test cutoff. In the case of an alternate technology that differentiates and quantifies each analyte in the group, the laboratory must compare each analyte's result to the confirmatory test cutoff and reflex specimens with a positive initial test result to confirmatory testing. 2 *Alternate technology:* When an alternate technology initial test is specific for the target analyte, the confirmatory test cutoff must be used for the initial test ( *i.e.,* Δ9THCC, 15 ng/mL; BZE, 100 ng/mL). 3 A fentanyl immunoassay must have at least 5% cross-reactivity to norfentanyl. HHS Biomarker Testing Panel—Urine SAMHSA has not yet authorized routine testing for any biomarker in urine. HHS-certified laboratories and IITFs may request authorization to test federal agency specimens for a biomarker upon Medical Review Officer request by submitting supporting documentation and assay validation records to the National Laboratory Certification Program for SAMHSA review and approval. Report Nomenclature—Oral Fluid Oral fluid Abbreviation Analyte Δ9THC Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. COC Cocaine. BZE Benzoylecgonine. COD Codeine. MOR Morphine. HYC Hydrocodone. HYM Hydromorphone. OXYC Oxycodone. OXYM Oxymorphone. 6-AM 6-Acetylmorphine. PCP Phencyclidine. FENT Fentanyl. AMP Amphetamine. MAMP Methamphetamine. MDMA Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. MDA Methylenedioxyamphetamine. HHS Drug Testing Panel—Oral Fluid HHS drug testing panel—undiluted
(neat)oral fluid Initial test analyte Initial test cutoff 1 (ng/mL) Confirmatory test analyte Confirmatory test cutoff (ng/mL) Marijuana (Δ9THC) 2 4 Δ9THC 2 Cocaine/Benzoylecgonine 15 Cocaine Benzoylecgonine 8 8 Codeine/Morphine 30 Codeine Morphine 15 15 Hydrocodone/Hydromorphone 30 Hydrocodone Hydromorphone 15 15 Oxycodone/Oxymorphone 30 Oxycodone Oxymorphone 15 15 6-Acetylmorphine 2 4 6-Acetylmorphine 2 Phencyclidine 10 Phencyclidine 10 Fentanyl 2 4 Fentanyl 1 Amphetamine/Methamphetamine 50 Amphetamine Methamphetamine 25 25 MDMA/MDA 50 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Methylenedioxyamphetamine 25 25 1 *For grouped analytes* ( *i.e.,* two or more analytes that are in the same drug class and have the same initial test cutoff): *Immunoassay:* The test must be calibrated with one analyte from the group identified as the target analyte. The cross reactivity of the immunoassay to the other analyte(s) within the group must be 80 percent or greater; if not, separate immunoassays must be used for the analytes within the group. *Alternate technology:* Either one analyte or all analytes from the group must be used for calibration, depending on the technology. For a technology that measures a response from the entire group without differentiating between analytes ( *e.g.,* an activity-based assay), the laboratory must compare the result to the initial test cutoff. In the case of an alternate technology that differentiates and quantifies each analyte in the group, the laboratory must compare each analyte's result to the confirmatory test cutoff and reflex specimens with a positive initial test result to confirmatory testing. 2 *Alternate technology:* When an alternate technology initial test is specific for the target analyte, the confirmatory test cutoff must be used for the initial test ( *i.e.,* Δ9THC, 2 ng/mL; 6-AM, 2 ng/mL; FENT, 1 ng/mL). HHS Biomarker Testing Panel—Oral Fluid SAMHSA has not yet authorized routine testing for any biomarker in oral fluid. HHS-certified laboratories may request authorization to test Federal agency specimens for a biomarker by submitting supporting documentation and assay validation records to the National Laboratory Certification Program for SAMHSA review and approval. Authorized biomarker test cutoffs for oral fluid will be based on undiluted
(neat)oral fluid. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. 2026-04981 Filed 3-12-26; 8:45 am]