Release expands terminology for drug and toxicology testing, microbiology, public health reporting and allergy information
Regenstrief Institute has released LOINC® Version 2.83, advancing global health data exchange with expanded terminology and technical enhancements.
The latest semiannual release introduces more than 1,200 drug and toxicology terms, expands microbiology models for international cross-border care, and provides structured frameworks for post-coordination.
“LOINC 2.83 addresses the double challenge facing today’s health systems: achieving seamless cross-border data flow while capturing the granular detail needed for advanced clinical care, research and analytics,” said Marjorie Rallins, DPM, M.S., executive director of Health Data Standards at Regenstrief Institute.
“By expanding our terminology models for the European Health Data Space and establishing clear post-coordination guidance, we are giving global health leaders the tools they need to drive high-impact research, improve patient safety and future-proof their health IT infrastructure.”
Specific highlights of LOINC version 2.83 include:
- European Health Data Space (EHDS) Microbiology Model: To support international health policy and seamless cross-border care across European Union (EU) member states, LOINC 2.83 adds approximately 1,050 new microbiology concepts. Developed at the request of the HL7 Europe Lab Semantic Working Group, these terms establish a standardized baseline for exchanging microbiology data across international borders.
- Improved Drug & Toxicology Terminology: To enhance data quality for patient care and public health surveillance, Version 2.83 introduces approximately 1,260 new Drug/Toxicology concepts. The release actively discourages legacy terms that rely on vague “screen” or “confirm” designations, shifting toward exact analytical methods, such as mass spectrometry and immunoassay, to improve data accuracy across testing environments.
- Supporting Rapid Public Health Response: The release adds specialized terminology to support rapid public health reporting for emerging infectious threats, including new concepts for Hantavirus and Ebolavirus testing.
Key technical & implementation enhancements
- Greater Flexibility for Microbiology Data Exchange: LOINC 2.83 introduces a more flexible way to represent microbiology test information as testing continues to evolve. This approach simplifies terminology management, streamlines implementation, and helps ensure that laboratory information can be exchanged accurately and consistently as new testing needs emerge.
Ongoing clinical and regulatory support
In addition to these critical additions, Version 2.83 continues to update core clinical content areas:
- Standardized Assessments: Updated survey instruments to address health related social needs and clinical assessment tools that facilitate patient care.
- CMS Post-Acute Care (PAC): Refined content supporting Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services post-acute care reporting requirements.
- Expanded Allergy Terminology: Introduces approximately 315 new allergy concepts to improve the accuracy and consistency of allergy information, supporting safer and more informed patient care.
LOINC version 2.83 is available for download from the LOINC website and through the LOINC Terminology Service using Health Level Seven (HL7®) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®).
Join health IT leaders, terminology experts, and clinical researchers at the 2026 LOINC Conference on Oct. 6-9 in Cologne, Germany and online. Discover what’s on the horizon for health data standards, gain practical implementation strategies, and connect directly with the LOINC team during live interactive sessions. Register now for the LOINC Conference to secure your spot.
LOINC, short for Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, is a global standard for health terminology. Created and maintained at Regenstrief, LOINC enables the identification, exchange, and collection of data across health systems and is used around the world.
For inquiries about version 2.83 and to have discussions with others in the LOINC community, or to post a topic, question, or concern, go to the LOINC Community Forum.
LOINC is available to users royalty-free. Its long-term funding is supported by U.S. federal agencies and other organizations. Regenstrief releases updates to LOINC twice per year, in February and August.
About LOINC® from Regenstrief Institute
Created in 1994 at Regenstrief Institute, LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) is an open, royalty-free global standard for identifying health measurements, observations, and documents. Spanning more than 112,000 concepts, LOINC enables seamless data exchange across diverse health systems, laboratories, and public health agencies worldwide. To support international adoption, LOINC is translated into 21 linguistic variants. On dedicated details pages, implementers can explore rich contextual data for every concept—including synonyms, units of measure, carefully crafted descriptions, and component breakdowns.
