Nationally and in South Carolina, trends in overdose patients’ toxicology lab results indicate increasing Xylazine use by humans, despite there being no legitimate use for the drug by humans and it only being approved by the FDA for use in veterinary medicine, with some users intentionally consuming Xylazine in combination with drugs of abuse, such as illicit fentanyl and heroin, to strengthen those drugs’ effects, while other users unintentionally consume Xylazine, unaware that it is sometimes added to illicit opioids or stimulants as an adulterant.

Pursuant to Section 44-1-140 of the South Carolina Code of Laws,  and beginning on Monday, November 27, 2023, all physicians and healthcare  practitioners, all healthcare  institutions, facilities and providers, all designated  reporting  coordinators, and all laboratories in or out of South  Carolina and who test specimens from patients who reside in the state, shall report to DHEC the following:

1. Within three business days, all laboratory-confirmed Xylazine positive test results and any associated metabolites.
2. Reports should include patient name, patient date of birth, patient address, lab test facility, lab test name, specimen collection date, specimen type, accession number, test result date, lab test status, lab test name and test results. Reports should also include patient race and patient gender, if available.

Facilities that are not already submitting results to DHEC via ELR or SCIONx should contact MUHELPDESK@dhec.sc.gov to inquire about ELR submission, or SCIONHELP@dhec.sc.gov to inquire about SCIONx and other reporting options.