US Navy Expands Fentanyl Testing Amid Opioid Crisis
The US Navy began testing all drug screening samples for fentanyl after CDC data showed overdose deaths from the synthetic opioid rose sharply from 2011 to 2016.
Effective immediately, the U.S. Navy began testing all drug screening urine samples for fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid. The expanded screening initiative followed alarming data issued in the CDC's National Vital Statistics Report on March 21, 2019. The report states that overdose deaths involving fentanyl rose from 1,615 in 2011 to 18,335 in 2016. According to the study, both the numbers and rates increased across all sex, age, racial, and ethnic subgroups, and in most public health regions. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed to help cancer patients manage pain and is often applied as a skin patch, though it is also available as an intravenous injection and in pill form.
As CRC has noted previously, standard 9- and 10-panel non-DOT-regulated drug screens are unable to detect fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The Navy's expanded policy follows a trend among other proactive organizations that have implemented broader random drug screening policies to maintain a healthy workforce. If you're interested in working with a provider that can screen for fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, CRC offers an integrated drug screening solution that allows employers to schedule collections through a user-friendly, paperless platform.
Note: This reflects drug screening trends and CDC data available in 2019; testing panels, military policy, and opioid-related regulations may have since evolved.
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