Propofol is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a powerful anesthetic and sedative. In August, the American Society of Anesthesiologists released a statement saying it supports the DEA’s plan to tighten restrictions on propofol, stating, “ASA policy clearly states that propofol should be used only in a controlled and monitored medical setting, by healthcare professionals qualified to administer general anesthesia and rescue patients, should problems arise.”
The process required to get a drug scheduled is lengthy and involves a series of weigh-ins by experts on the potential for abuse, pharmacological effects and history of abuse. Once the proposed rule enters the federal register, the public will have 60 days to comment on the measure before the DEA begins a final review.
Recent shortages of propofol have raised questions about the effect on anesthesia services in hospitals and surgery centers. A recent ASA news release on the shortage recommended providers still attempt to obtain propofol through their normal distribution chains.
Read the Anesthesiology News report on the scheduling of propofol.
Read a CNN report on propofol as a controlled substance.
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