b'NEWSWIREPVA Urges HHS ActionWe do on Oral Fluidmore than collaborate;Drug Testing we empower you through T hePassengerVesselAssocia- partnership tion is leading a coalition of U.S.-flagmaritimeorgani-zations in urging the Department of Kongsberg MaritimeHealth and Human Services (HHS)Protechting People and Planetto expedite certification of laborato-ries authorized to conduct oral fluid drug testing. In a letter prepared for Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., PVA emphasized the need to move forward withthislong-delayedalternative totraditionalurinetesting,which remainstheonlyavailablemethod under DOT rules despite a final rule permitting oral fluid testing that took effect more than two years ago.PVAhighlightedthemanyadvan-tages of oral fluid testing, including lowercosts,lessinvasivecollection, andtheabilitytodirectlyobserve allcollectionstherebyreducing privacyconcernsandopportunities for tampering. Unlike urinalysis, oral fluid testing provides more accurate, real-time results about an individuals fitnessfordutyatthetimeoftest-ing.Thismodernapproachwould helpkeepmorequalifiedmaritimeWhats the scuttlebutt?workersonthejobwhilemaintain-ing high safety standards. The letter calls on HHS to take specific steps to Has your operation begun construction on a new vessel? remove regulatory barriers that havePerhaps your team recently completed a build for aprevented U.S. labs from seeking cer- fellow PVA member. We want to hear about the noteworthy tification and to help modernize drughappenings at your business and look forward to sharingtestingprotocolsforsafety-sensitivethe news with the PVA community. maritime workers. Contact our editor at sarah@passengervessel.com. 59 JULY 2025'