Should Ephedrine be on Count
5

Should Ephedrine be on Count?

Should Ephedrine be on Count? Ephedrine security is not a very common discussion in most facilities, but the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is asking everyone to play a part in minimizing the risk of diversion for the purposes of manufacturing illegal substances.

During our upcoming visits, we will be helping our clients stay ahead of the regulatory requirements. What steps are you taking to reduce the risk of illicit use? How are you protecting your patients, your staff, and your facility?

The DEA classifies medications into five different categories (schedules), depending upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse, or dependency potential.

Is ephedrine a controlled substance? It depends on who you ask. Under federal law, Ephedrine is not considered a controlled substance. This means that it is not a DEA scheduled substance. However, some states have moved to make ephedrine a controlled substance. In some states, such as Massachusetts, all prescription medications that are not federally scheduled, are controlled substances. Those not in the DEA schedules (1-5), are considered schedule 6.

This is a complicated area and requires expertise to ensure compliance and safety. If your facility operates in one of the states that considers ephedrine a controlled substance, you must follow all the legal requirements imposed by your state to be compliant. Typically, this means treating it like the other medications in schedules 3-5 but you need to check your state regulations or consult with your pharmacist.

What if your state does not consider ephedrine a controlled substance? There are still steps you need to take to minimize risks and liability. If you are one of our clients, during our upcoming visits we will discuss in detail what the DEA wants you to know, steps to consider taking, and processes you should have in place to make your facility compliant and less vulnerable to diversion. Protect yourself and your patients by helping to curb the diversion of ephedrine for illicit manufacturing purposes.

If you have any questions on this post or are not one of our clients and would like additional information, please reach out to us and we will point you in the right direction.

The Consultant Pharmacists at OctariusRx provide guidance on safe medication management, survey readiness and cost savings to ambulatory healthcare facilities/surgery centers, senior care facilities and pharmacies. We also help individual patients optimize their medications to improve their quality of life and save money. Contact us for assistance.

Any health, medical or drug information on the Web Site is for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be used, and you should not use it, as a substitute for obtaining professional healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your doctor, a pharmacist or other qualified healthcare provider for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition.