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DEA Increases Quotas for Drugs Used With Ventilators

April 9, 2020

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is allowing increased production and importation of some controlled medicines to address the surge in demand for drugs needed for COVID-19 patients on ventilators.

The DEA is increasing production quotas by 15 percent for fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, codeine, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, and certain intermediates needed to produce these drugs.

The agency also said it plans to approve increased imports of ketamine, diazepam, midazolam, lorazepam and phenobarbital, drugs used to manage pain and discomfort in patients on ventilators.

The DEA’s announcement comes after reports that hospital demand for hydromorphone, fentanyl and morphine increased by 67 percent during the first three weeks of March, while only 73 percent of prescriptions were filled, according to Vizient, a group purchasing organization that negotiates contracts for medicines on behalf of about 3,000 hospitals and healthcare facilities in the U.S. (DID, April 3). — Suz Redfearn