Still have to test for drugs when taking a driver's medical exam?

Drug testing still required

On the afternoon of October 2, the Ministry of Health held a meeting to collect comments on the draft circular regulating health standards and health examinations for drivers and specialized motorbike operators.

Driver's health check (illustrative photo).

Sharing with Giao thong Newspaper about the latest content of the draft circular, Mr. Vuong Anh Duong, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, said: After receiving comments from ministries and branches, the drafting committee continues to maintain the drug testing requirement in the health examination certificate, there is no change from the old circular. Accordingly, the first health examination to issue a driver's license and the periodic health examination for drivers must both be tested for drugs. As for the alcohol concentration test, the periodic health examination remains the same, but the first health examination will not be required and will be prescribed by the doctor when abnormalities are found.

Previously, when drafting this circular, the Ministry of Health did not require alcohol testing or drug testing during the first health check. Explaining this, according to Mr. Duong, the reporting facilities reported that in reality, drug users avoid the time of health check, so they are not detected, causing costs... However, according to the recommendation from the representative of the Ministry of Public Security, drug testing during health check, to issue a driver's license is necessary, so it should continue to be included in the regulations in this circular.

Mr. Duong also said that this circular basically inherits Joint Circular No. 24/2015/TTLT-BYT-BGTVT regulating health standards for drivers, periodic health examinations for car drivers and regulations on medical facilities for health examinations for drivers.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, since 2015, the health and physical strength of Vietnamese people have not changed much, so the standards and criteria related to the health of drivers stipulated in this circular are basically unchanged.

Adjusting driving license class to match health standards

Mr. Vuong Anh Duong added that the clear change in this latest draft is to adjust the groups of health standards according to driving license categories to comply with the new regulations in the Law on Traffic Safety Order.

Specifically, the new Law on Traffic Safety stipulates 15 categories of driving licenses, while the old law only stipulates 10 categories, and the license categories are classified according to 3 groups of health standards. Therefore, this draft circular has appropriate adjustments. Accordingly, it will have the greatest impact and influence on health examinations for A1 and A licenses.

Previously, class A1 was allowed to drive vehicles up to 175cm3; however, now class A1 is allowed to drive vehicles up to 125cm3; therefore, driving vehicles over 125cm3 will correspond to class A, which means meeting the health standards of group 2 (previously it was around 125cm3-175cm3 according to group 1 standards).

In addition, for health examinations for class B driving licenses, the circular also clearly states that for those undergoing health examinations to request a class B driving license, the health standards in group 2 apply; for those practicing driving who undergo health examinations to request a class B driving license, the standards in group 3 apply.

In addition, this circular supplements and edits the explanation of terms; at the same time, it adds connection and sharing of health examination data of drivers and specialized motorbike operators...

Currently, the Drafting Committee is accepting revisions and continuing to send them to the members of the Drafting Committee for comments before finalizing and issuing this Circular.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/van-phai-xet-nghiem-ma-tuy-khi-kham-suc-khoe-lai-xe-19224100218513867.htm