On Tuesday, the DEA issued a final order to increase the 2020 Aggregate Production Quotas for a variety of opioids, benzodiazepines and other drugs used to treat people with COVID-19 (coronavirus). The order increases the APQ by 15 percent for certain substances including fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, codeine, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine, and certain controlled substance intermediates used to produce them.
Methadone Quota Increased
In addition, they will also increase the APQ for methadone to ensure that opioid treatment programs have sufficient supplies to treat patients suffering from opioid use disorder, and for certain schedule III and IV controlled substances which are used to treat patients on ventilators (e.g. ketamine, diazepam, midazolam, lorazepam, and phenobarbital)
“These increases apply to controlled substances identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as impacted by COVID-19. After the health emergency recedes, DEA will reevaluate demand and adjust APQ levels as needed.”
Additional information is available in the press release (https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2020/04/07/dea-takes-additional-steps-allow-increased-production-controlled).
