This bill amends Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to enhance urine drug screening requirements and establish medetomidine awareness education. Specifically, it mandates that urine drug screenings conducted in emergency departments of acute care hospitals include testing for fentanyl, medetomidine, and xylazine, with the latter two tests required only if available. Additionally, if any of these substances are detected, the emergency department must report the results to the department and provide relevant educational materials regarding xylazine and medetomidine awareness.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new section that empowers the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Agriculture, to educate the public about the dangers of human use of medetomidine. This includes creating informational materials and establishing partnerships with healthcare providers and community health centers. The section will expire if the Secretary of Health determines that medetomidine no longer poses a significant public health threat, with notice of such a determination required to be published. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 966 (Jun 18, 2025):