FDA panel backs tougher restrictions for hydrocodone products

FDA's Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee voted 19-10 on Friday that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reschedule hydrocodone combination products as class II scheduled drugs, where class I indicates the highest potential for abuse and class V the lowest. Currently, hydrocodone combination products are scheduled as class III drugs, while pure hydrocodone is a class II scheduled drug. The change would place greater restrictions on hydrocodone combination products, including requiring written prescriptions that can't be refilled and limiting prescriptions to a 90-day supply. FDA will provide a final recommendation to the DEA, which would ultimately be responsible for rescheduling hydrocodone products. ...