Spike in Drug Abuse and Overdose Deaths Makes Workplace Drug Testing an Urgent Matter

Spike in Drug Abuse and Overdose Deaths Makes Workplace Drug Testing an Urgent Matter

With approximately 70% of the 14.8 million Americans who abuse drugs being employed, and the rate of deaths from overdose continuing to climb annually, workplace drug testing has become a key service for urgent care operators that offer occupational medicine services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims there’s been a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths attributed to opioid pain medications and heroin, and that nearly 2 million people in the …

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DOT Wants to Add Opioids to Drug Panels

DOT Wants to Add Opioids to Drug Panels

Mindful of the rampant overuse and abuse of opioid medications, the U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed adding four of the most common—hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and hydromorphone—to its list of drugs that drivers must be screened for in urine analysis tests. Following through would bring the DOT testing protocol up to date with current Health and Human Services guidelines. There’s no date set for when the proposed changes would take effect. Urgent care providers who …

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