The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is putting tighter controls on the nation's most widely prescribed narcotic painkiller in a move to stem an epidemic of addiction, overdose and death.
The agency said it would publish a rule Friday to place combination products, such as Vicodin and Norco, in the same category as other frequently abused medications, including OxyContin and fentanyl.
Once the rule takes effect in 45 days, all hydrocodone products will be considered Schedule II drugs — pharmaceuticals with accepted medical uses but also the highest potential for harm and abuse. Patients will see new restrictions on prescriptions and refills, and pharmacies will have to follow stricter procedures for handling and storage of the drugs.
Hydrocodone products are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S. Americans consume 99% of the hydrocodone produced worldwide, according to the International Narcotics Control Board.
But these drugs and other narcotic painkillers cause or contribute to more than 16,000 deaths annually, a death toll greater than for heroin and cocaine combined. As a result of a surge in prescription overdoses, drug fatalities have surpassed deaths from motor vehicle crashes, long the leading cause of accidental death in this country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DEA tightens controls on hydrocodone painkiller drugs - LA Times
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