§ 26.65 - Pre-access drug and alcohol testing.

§ 26.65 Pre-access drug and alcohol testing.

(a) Purpose. This section contains pre-access testing requirements for granting authorization to an individual who either has never held authorization or whose last period of authorization was terminated favorably and about whom no potentially disqualifying FFD information has been discovered or disclosed that was not previously reviewed and resolved by a licensee or other entity under the requirements of this subpart.

(b) Accepting tests conducted within the past 30 days. If an individual has negative results from drug and alcohol tests that were conducted under the requirements of this part before the individual applied for authorization from the licensee or other entity, and the specimens for such testing were collected within the 30-day period preceding the day on which the licensee or other entity grants authorization to the individual, the licensee or other entity may rely on the results of those drug and alcohol tests to meet the requirements for pre-access testing in this section.

(c) Initial authorization and authorization update. Before granting authorization to an individual who has never held authorization or whose authorization has been interrupted for a period of more than 365 days, the licensee or other entity shall verify that the results of pre-access drug and alcohol tests, which must be performed within the 30-day period preceding the day the licensee or other entity grants authorization to the individual, are negative. The licensee or other entity need not conduct pre-access testing if -

(1) The individual previously held authorization under this part and has been subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that includes random testing and a behavioral observation program that includes arrest reporting, which both meet the requirements of this part, from the date the individual's last authorization was terminated through the date the individual is granted authorization; or

(2) The licensee or other entity relies on negative results from drug and alcohol tests that were conducted under the requirements of this part at any time before the individual applied for authorization, and the individual has remained subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that includes random testing and a behavioral observation program that includes arrest reporting, which both meet the requirements of this part, beginning on the date the drug and alcohol testing was conducted through the date the individual is granted authorization and thereafter.

(d) Authorization reinstatement after an interruption of more than 30 days.

(1) To reinstate authorization for an individual whose authorization has been interrupted for a period of more than 30 days but no more than 365 days, except as permitted in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the licensee or other entity shall -

(i) Verify that the individual has negative results from alcohol testing and collect a specimen for drug testing within the 30-day period preceding the day the licensee reinstates the individual's authorization; and

(ii) Verify that the drug test results are negative within 5 business days of specimen collection or administratively withdraw authorization until the drug test results are received.

(2) The licensee or other entity need not conduct pre-access testing of these individuals if -

(i) The individual previously held authorization under this part and has been subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that includes random testing and a behavioral observation program that includes arrest reporting, which both meet the requirements of this part, beginning on the date the individual's last authorization was terminated through the date the individual is granted authorization; or

(ii) The licensee or other entity relies on negative results from drug and alcohol tests that were conducted under the requirements of this part at any time before the individual applied for authorization, and the individual remains subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that includes random testing and a behavioral observation program that includes arrest reporting, which both meet the requirements of this part, beginning on the date the drug and alcohol testing was conducted through the date the individual is granted authorization.

(e) Authorization reinstatement after an interruption of 30 or fewer days.

(1) The licensee or other entity need not conduct pre-access testing before granting authorization to an individual whose authorization has been interrupted for 5 or fewer days. In addition, the licensee or other entity need not conduct pre-access testing if the individual has been subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that includes random testing and a behavioral observation program that includes arrest reporting, which both meet the requirements of this part, from the date the individual's last authorization was terminated through the date the individual is granted authorization.

(2) In order to reinstate authorization for an individual whose authorization has been interrupted for a period of more than 5 days but not more than 30 days, except as permitted in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the licensee or other entity shall take the following actions:

(i) The licensee or other entity shall subject the individual to random selection for pre-access drug and alcohol testing at a one-time probability that is equal to or greater than the normal testing rate specified in § 26.31(d)(2)(vii) calculated for a 30-day period;

(ii) If the individual is not selected for pre-access testing under paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, the licensee or other entity need not perform pre-access drug and alcohol tests; or

(iii) If the individual is selected for pre-access testing under this paragraph, the licensee or other entity shall -

(A) Verify that the individual has negative results from alcohol testing and collect a specimen for drug testing before reinstating authorization; and

(B) Verify that the drug test results are negative within 5 business days of specimen collection or administratively withdraw authorization until negative drug test results are received.

(f) Administrative withdrawal of authorization. If a licensee or other entity administratively withdraws an individual's authorization under paragraphs (d)(1)(ii) or (e)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, and until the drug test results are known, the licensee or other entity may not record the administrative action to withdraw authorization as an unfavorable termination. The individual may not be required to disclose the administrative action in response to requests for self-disclosure of potentially disqualifying FFD information, except if the individual's authorization was subsequently denied or terminated unfavorably by a licensee or entity. Immediately on receipt of negative test results, the licensee or other entity shall ensure that any matter that could link the individual to the temporary administrative action is eliminated from the donor's personnel record and other records.

(g) Sanctions. If an individual has confirmed positive, adulterated, or substituted test results from any drug, validity, or alcohol tests that may be required in this section, the licensee or other entity shall, at a minimum and as appropriate -

(1) Deny authorization to the individual, as required by § 26.75(b), (d), (e)(2), or (g);

(2) Terminate the individual's authorization, if it has been reinstated, under § 26.75(e)(1) or (f); or

(3) Grant authorization to the individual under § 26.69.