DEA Proposes Reduction in Manufacturing of Opioids for 2018

The DEA has proposed to reduce the manufacturing of controlled substances in the United States for 2018 by 20% when compared to 2017. The change is due to a decrease in the demand of opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, codeine, fentanyl, meperidine and morphine, according to sales data from IMS Health.

The DEA uses this sales data along with several other factors to determine the yearly APQ, or Aggregate Production Quota, for controlled substances. According to the DEA, this APQ reflects the total amount of controlled substances needed to meet the United States’ medical, scientific, research, industrial, export, and reserve needs for the year. Once the DEA sets the Aggregate Production Quota, it can allocate individual quotas to manufacturers. This individual quota can be revised any time during the year if changes in the market warrant an increase in production.