DEA Issues Final Rule on Schedules of Controlled Substances

Targeted News Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration published the following rule in the Federal Register:

Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Hydrocodone Combination Products From Schedule III to Schedule II

A Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration on 08/22/2014

Publication Date: Friday, August 22, 2014

Agencies: Department of Justice

Drug Enforcement Administration

Dates: This rule is effective October 6, 2014.

Effective Date: 10/06/2014

Entry Type: Rule

Action: Final rule.

Document Citation: 79 FR 49661

Page: 49661 -49682 (22 pages)

CFR: 21 CFR 1308

Agency/Docket Number: Docket No. DEA-389

Document Number: 2014-19922

Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2014-19922

Action

Final Rule.

Summary

With the issuance of this final rule, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration reschedules hydrocodone combination products from schedule III to schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act. This scheduling action is pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act which requires that such actions be made on the record after opportunity for a hearing through formal rulemaking. This action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule II controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, dispense, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities with, conduct chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle hydrocodone combination products.

DATES:

This rule is effective October 6, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Imelda L. Paredes, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration; Mailing Address: 8701 Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia 22152, Telephone: (202) 598-6812.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Legal Authority

The DEA implements and enforces titles II and III of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, as amended. Titles II and III are referred to as the "Controlled Substances Act" and the "Controlled Substances Import and Export Act," respectively, and are collectively referred to as the "Controlled Substances Act" or the "CSA" for the purpose of this action. 21 U.S.C. 801-971. The DEA publishes the implementing regulations for these statutes in title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), parts 1300 to 1321. The CSA and its implementing regulations are designed to prevent, detect, and eliminate the diversion of controlled substances and listed chemicals into the illicit market while providing for the legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs of the United States. Controlled substances have the potential for abuse and dependence and are controlled to protect the public health and safety.

Under the CSA, every controlled substance is classified into one of five schedules based upon its potential for abuse, currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and the degree of dependence the drug or other substance may cause. 21 U.S.C. 812. The initial schedules of controlled substances established by Congress are found at 21 U.S.C. 812(c), and the current list of all scheduled substances is published at 21 CFR part 1308. 21 U.S.C. 812(a).

Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 811(a)(1), the Attorney General may, by rule, "add to such a schedule or transfer between such schedules any drug or other substance if he (A) finds that such drug or other substance has a potential for abuse, and (B) makes with respect to such drug or other substance the findings prescribed by [21 U.S.C. 812(b)] for the schedule in which such drug is to be placed * * *." The Attorney General has delegated this scheduling authority to the Administrator of the DEA. 28 CFR 0.100(b).

The Administrator may initiate the scheduling of any drug or other substance (1) on her own motion; (2) at the request of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); or (3) on the petition of any interested party. 21 U.S.C. 811(a). This action was initiated by a petition to reschedule hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) [1] from schedule III to schedule II of the CSA, and is supported by, inter alia, a recommendation from the Assistant Secretary for Health of the HHS [2] and an evaluation of all relevant data by the DEA. This final action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions of schedule II controlled substances on any person who handles, or proposes to handle, HCPs.

II. Background

Hydrocodone was listed in schedule II of the CSA upon the enactment of the CSA in 1971. 91, 84 Stat. 1236, sec. 202(c), schedule II, paragraph (a), clause (1) (codified at 21 U.S.C. 812(c)); initially codified in DEA regulations at 21 CFR 308.12(b)(1)(x) (36 FR 7776, April 24, 1971) (currently codified at 21 CFR 1308.12(b)(1)(vi)). At that time, hydrocodone was listed in schedule III of the CSA when formulated with specified amounts of an isoquinoline alkaloid of opium or one or more therapeutically active nonnarcotic ingredients. 91, 84 Stat. 1236, sec. 202(c), schedule III, paragraph (d), clauses (3) and (4) (codified at 21 U.S.C. 812(c)); initially codified at 21 CFR 308.13(e) (3) and (4) (36 FR 7776, April 24, 1971) (currently codified at 21 CFR 1308.13(e)(1) (iii) and (iv)). [3] Any other hydrocodone single-entity products or combinations of hydrocodone with other substances outside the range of specified doses are listed in schedule II of the CSA. [4]

III. Determination To Transfer Hydrocodone Combination Products (HCPs) to Schedule II

Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 811(a), proceedings to add a drug or substance to those controlled under the CSA, or to transfer a drug between schedules, may be initiated on the petition of any interested party. The DEA received a petition requesting that HCPs be controlled in schedule II of the CSA. In response, in 2004, the DEA submitted a request to the HHS to provide the DEA with a scientific and medical evaluation of available information and a scheduling recommendation for HCPs, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 811 (b) and (c). In 2008, the HHS provided to the DEA its recommendation that HCPs remain controlled in schedule III of the CSA. In response, in 2009, the DEA requested that the HHS re-evaluate their data and provide another scientific and medical evaluation and scheduling recommendation based on additional data and analysis.

On July 9, 2012, President Obama signed the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (Pub. L. 112-144, 126 Stat. 993) (FDASIA). Section 1139 of the FDASIA directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hold a public meeting to "solicit advice and recommendations" pertaining to the scientific and medical evaluation in connection with its scheduling recommendation to the DEA regarding drug products containing hydrocodone, combined with other analgesics or as an antitussive. Additionally, the Secretary was required to solicit stakeholder input "regarding the health benefits and risks, including the potential for abuse" of HCPs "and the impact of up-scheduling these products." Accordingly, on January 24 and 25, 2013, the FDA held a public Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee (DSaRM) meeting, at which the DEA made a presentation. [5] The DSaRM Committee included members with scientific and medical expertise in the subject of opioid abuse, and a patient representative. Members included representatives from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). There was also an opportunity for the public to provide comment. The DSaRM voted 19 to 10 in favor of recommending that HCPs be placed into schedule II. According to the FDA, 768 comments were submitted to the FDA by patients, patient groups, advocacy groups, and professional societies.

Upon evaluating the scientific and medical evidence, along with the above considerations mandated by the FDASIA, the HHS on December 16, 2013, submitted to the Administrator of the DEA its scientific and medical evaluation entitled, "Basis for the Recommendation to Place Hydrocodone Combination Products in Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act." Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 811(b), this document contained an eight-factor analysis of the abuse potential of HCPs, along with the HHS's recommendation to control HCPs in schedule II of the CSA.

The HHS stated that the comments received during the open public hearing and submitted to the docket, and the discussion of the DSaRM members of the FDA DSaRM meeting provided support for its conclusion that: (1) Individuals are taking HCPs in amounts sufficient to create a hazard to their health or to the safety of other individuals or to the community; (2) there is significant diversion of HCPs; and (3) individuals are taking HCPs on their own initiative rather than on the basis of medical advice from a practitioner licensed by law to administer such drugs. The HHS stated that it gave careful consideration to the fact that the members of the DSaRM voted 19 to 10 in favor of rescheduling HCPs from schedule III to schedule II under the CSA. The HHS considered the increasing trends, the public comments, the recommendation of the DSaRM, the health benefits and risks, and the information available about the impact of rescheduling, and concluded that HCPs have high potential for abuse.

After a review of the available data, including the scientific and medical evaluation and the scheduling recommendation from the HHS, the Administrator of the DEA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled "Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Hydrocodone Combination Products from Schedule III to Schedule II" which proposed to reschedule HCPs from schedule III to schedule II of the CSA. 79 FR 11037, Feb. 27, 2014. Both the DEA and HHS eight-factor analyses, as well as the DEA's Economic Impact Analysis (EIA), were made available in their entirety in the public docket for this rule (Docket No. DEA-389) and are available at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=DEA-2014-0005 under "Supporting and Related Material." The proposed rule provided an opportunity for interested persons to file a request for hearing in accordance with DEA regulations by March 31, 2014. No requests for such a hearing were received by the DEA. The NPRM also provided an opportunity for interested persons to submit written comments on the proposal on or before April 28, 2014. The DEA specifically solicited comments on the economic impacts of rescheduling with a request that commenters describe the specific nature of any impact on small entities and provide empirical data to illustrate the extent of such impact.

[*Federal RegisterVJ 2014-08-22]

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