By Larry K. Houck – Representative Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) introduced a second bill in Congress that seeks to curb abuse of dextromethorphan by teenagers. Johnson introduced the Preventing Abuse of Cough Treatments of 2014 Act (“PACT Act”) last week. The PACT Act, H.R. 3969, co-sponsored by …
By Delia A. Deschaine – Various members of industry recently joined together in filing a citizen petition with FDA. Citizen Petition, Docket No. FDA-2013-P-1711 (hereinafter “Citizen Petition”). The Citizen Petition responds to a statement made by CDER Director, Janet Woodcock, M.D. in October 2013 that FDA intends …
By Delia A. Stubbs – Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 811(h), DEA may temporarily place substances in Schedule I of the List of Controlled Substances upon a finding that such action is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to public health and safety. Using that authority, …
By Delia A. Stubbs & John A. Gilbert – DEA didn’t waste time during its Thanksgiving break. Monday, in just shy of three weeks of the close of its comment period on its proposed rule, DEA issued a final rule placing perampanel in Schedule III. We …
The American Conference Institute will be holding its inaugural forum on controlled substances in Washington, D.C. from Thursday January 16 to Friday, January 17, 2014. A copy of the conference program can be obtained here. Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.’s John A. Gilbert will be …
By John A. Gilbert & Delia A. Stubbs – In a decision published this week, DEA denied an application for a pharmacy registration on the basis that the owner-pharmacist had previously ignored “red flags” and generally failed to exercise her corresponding responsibility in filling prescriptions. Wheatland …
By Karla L. Palmer – On Monday, November 18, 2013, DEA released the 2013 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary, which provides an assessment of the threat posed to the United States by trafficking and abuse of illicit substances and non-medical use of controlled prescription drugs. The …
By Karla L. Palmer – On Monday, November 4, 2013, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPR” ), proposing to place the substance 2 –((diemthylamino)methyl)-1-(3-methyloxyphenyl) cyclohexanol), and its salts, isomers, salts of isomers, and all isometric configurations of possible forms, …
By Delia A. Stubbs – The amount of government activity on issues involving controlled substances last week makes the furlough seem like a figment of our imagination. Following issuance of a press release on hydrocodone rescheduling and a court ruling on DEA’s delay on the scheduling …
By Delia A. Stubbs – Earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied Eisai, Inc.’s (“Eisai’s”) petition to order DEA – in essence – to get moving on the scheduling of its drug, FYCOMPA (perampanel), which FDA approved in October 2012 …
By Delia A. Stubbs – While typically not made public, today, FDA issued a statement that it intends to forward a recommendation to DEA by December to move hydrocodone combination products from their current placement in Schedule III to Schedule II. That change would mean, among …
By Ricardo Carvajal & Kurt R. Karst – According to contingency plans drawn up by the Department of Health and Human Services, 45% of FDA’s nearly 15,000 staff were to be furloughed in the absence of enacted annual appropriations – popularly referred to as a …
By Delia A. Stubbs – As previously reported, the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (“PROP”) filed a Citizen Petition in March requesting that FDA limit the labeling of “controlled release” opioids to severe-only pain in non-cancer patients. The petition also requested that FDA impose certain …
By John A. Gilbert – Earlier this week, Eisai, Inc. (“Eisai”) filed a Petition for A Writ of Mandamus in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to force the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) …
By Larry K. Houck – Pharmacists are under increasing pressure to take extraordinary steps to verify prescriptions for controlled substances, especially in light of the fact that the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) has asserted that pharmacists are the gatekeepers or the “last line of defense” …
