Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Brorphine in Schedule I, 78047-78050 [2020-26301]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 233 / Thursday, December 3, 2020 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
21 CFR Part 1308
[Docket No. DEA–716]
Schedules of Controlled Substances:
Temporary Placement of Brorphine in
Schedule I
Drug Enforcement
Administration, Department of Justice.
ACTION: Proposed amendment; notice of
intent.
AGENCY:
The Acting Administrator of
the Drug Enforcement Administration is
issuing this notice of intent to publish
a temporary order to schedule 1-(1-(1-(4bromophenyl)ethyl)piperidin-4-yl)-1,3dihydro-2H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-one
(commonly known as brorphine),
including its isomers, esters, ethers,
salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and
ethers whenever the existence of such
isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is
possible, in schedule I of the Controlled
Substances Act. When it is issued, the
temporary scheduling order will impose
the regulatory controls and
administrative, civil, and criminal
sanctions applicable to schedule I
controlled substances on persons who
handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse
distribute, import, export, engage in
research, conduct instructional
activities or chemical analysis, or
possess) or propose to handle brorphine.
DATES: December 3, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terrence L. Boos, Drug and Chemical
Evaluation Section, Diversion Control
Division, Drug Enforcement
Administration; Mailing Address: 8701
Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia
22152; Telephone: (571) 362–8207.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
document is issued pursuant to the
temporary scheduling provisions of 21
U.S.C. 811(h). The Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) intends to issue a
temporary scheduling order (in the form
of a temporary amendment) to add
brorphine to schedule I under the
Controlled Substances Act (CSA).1 The
temporary scheduling order will be
published in the Federal Register on or
after January 4, 2021.
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SUMMARY:
Legal Authority
The CSA provides the Attorney
General (as delegated to the
1 Though DEA has used the term ‘‘final order’’
with respect to temporary scheduling orders in the
past, this notice of intent adheres to the statutory
language of 21 U.S.C. 811(h), which refers to a
‘‘temporary scheduling order.’’ No substantive
change is intended.
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Administrator of DEA (Administrator)
pursuant to 28 CFR 0.100) with the
authority to temporarily place a
substance in schedule I of the CSA for
two years without regard to the
requirements of 21 U.S.C. 811(b), if he
finds that such action is necessary to
avoid an imminent hazard to the public
safety. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1). In addition,
if proceedings to control a substance are
initiated under 21 U.S.C. 811(a)(1) while
the substance is temporarily controlled
under section 811(h), the Administrator
may extend the temporary scheduling
for up to one year. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(2).
Where the necessary findings are
made, a substance may be temporarily
scheduled if it is not listed in any other
schedule under 21 U.S.C. 812, or if there
is no exemption or approval in effect for
the substance under section 505 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,
21 U.S.C. 355. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1); 21
CFR part 1308.
Background
Section 811(h)(4) requires the
Administrator to notify the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) of his intention to
temporarily place a substance in
schedule I of the CSA.2 The Acting
Administrator transmitted notice of his
intent to place brorphine in schedule I
on a temporary basis to the Assistant
Secretary for Health of HHS (Assistant
Secretary) by letter dated September 22,
2020. The Assistant Secretary
responded to this notice by letter dated
October 27, 2020, and advised that
based on a review by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), there are
currently no investigational new drug
applications or approved new drug
applications for brorphine. The
Assistant Secretary also stated that HHS
had no objection to the temporary
placement of brorphine in schedule I of
the CSA. Brorphine is not currently
listed in any schedule under the CSA,
and no exemptions or approvals are in
effect for brorphine under 21 U.S.C. 355.
To find that placing a substance
temporarily in schedule I of the CSA is
necessary to avoid an imminent hazard
to the public safety, the Administrator is
required to consider three of the eight
factors set forth in 21 U.S.C. 811(c): The
substance’s history and current pattern
of abuse; the scope, duration and
significance of abuse; and what, if any,
risk there is to the public health. 21
U.S.C. 811(h)(3). Consideration of these
factors includes actual abuse; diversion
2 The Secretary of HHS has delegated to the
Assistant Secretary for Health of HHS the authority
to make domestic drug scheduling
recommendations. 58 FR 35460, July 1, 1993.
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78047
from legitimate channels; and
clandestine importation, manufacture,
or distribution. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(3).
A substance meeting the statutory
requirements for temporary scheduling
may only be placed in schedule I. 21
U.S.C. 811(h)(1). Substances in schedule
I are those that have a high potential for
abuse, no currently accepted medical
use in treatment in the United States,
and a lack of accepted safety for use
under medical supervision. 21 U.S.C.
812(b)(1).
Brorphine
The availability of synthetic opioids
on the illicit drug market continues to
pose an imminent hazard to the public
safety. Adverse health effects associated
with the abuse of synthetic opioids and
the increased popularity of these
substances have been serious concerns
in recent years. The presence of new
synthetic opioids with no approved
medical use exacerbates the
unprecedented opioid epidemic the
United States continues to experience.
The trafficking and abuse of new
synthetic opioids are deadly new trends.
The identification of brorphine on the
illicit drug market has been reported in
the United States, Canada, Belgium, and
Sweden. Data obtained from preclinical
pharmacology studies show that
brorphine has a pharmacological profile
similar to that of other potent opioids
such as morphine and fentanyl,
schedule II controlled substances.
Because of the pharmacological
similarities between brorphine and
other potent opioids, the use of
brorphine presents a high risk of abuse
and may negatively affect users and
their communities. The positive
identification of this substance in law
enforcement seizures and post-mortem
toxicology reports is a serious concern
to the public safety. The abuse of
brorphine has been associated with at
least seven fatalities between June 2020
and July 2020 in the United States.
Thus, brorphine poses an imminent
hazard to public safety.
Available data and information for
brorphine, as summarized below,
indicates that this substance has a high
potential for abuse, no currently
accepted medical use in treatment in the
United States, and a lack of accepted
safety for use under medical
supervision. DEA’s three-factor analysis
is available in its entirety under
‘‘Supporting and Related Material’’ of
the public docket for this action at
www.regulations.gov under Docket
Number DEA–716.
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Factor 4. History and Current Pattern of
Abuse
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Brorphine is part of a structural class
of compounds known as substituted
piperidine benzimidazolones. The
general synthesis of brorphine was first
reported in the literature in 2018.
Brorphine is not an approved
pharmaceutical product and is not
approved for medical use anywhere in
the world. The Assistant Secretary, by a
letter to DEA dated October 27, 2020,
stated that there are no FDA-approved
new drug applications or investigational
new drug applications for brorphine in
the United States; hence, there is no
legitimate channel for brorphine as a
marketed drug product. The appearance
of brorphine on the illicit drug market
is similar to other designer drugs
trafficked for their psychoactive effects.
Since 2014, numerous synthetic
opioids structurally related to fentanyl
and several synthetic opioids from other
structural classes have begun to emerge
on the illicit drug market as evidenced
by the identification of these drugs in
forensic drug exhibits and toxicology
samples. Beginning in June 2019,
brorphine emerged in the U.S. illicit,
synthetic drug market as evidenced by
brorphine’s identification in drug
seizures. Between July and September of
2019, brorphine was first reported in
drug casework in Canada and was first
reported in police seizures in Sweden in
March 2020.3
Brorphine has been encountered by
U.S. law enforcement in powder form.
In the United States, brorphine has been
identified as a single substance and in
combination with other substances.
Twenty reports of brorphine have been
reported in the National Forensic
Laboratory Information System (NFLIS)
in 2019 and 2020 from three different
states (see Factor 5).4 In several NFLIS
encounters, brorphine was found in
combination with heroin (a schedule I
3 Health Canada Drug Analysis Service (2019);
Analyzed Drug Report Canada 2019—Q3 (July to
September); European Monitoring Centre for Drugs
and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) (2020); EU Early
Warning System Situation Report, Situation report
1—June 2020.
4 NFLIS represents an important resource in
monitoring illicit drug trafficking, including the
diversion of legally manufactured pharmaceuticals
into illegal markets. NFLIS-Drug is a comprehensive
information system that includes data from forensic
laboratories that handle the nation’s drug analysis
cases. NFLIS-Drug participation rate, defined as the
percentage of the national drug caseload
represented by laboratories that have joined NFLIS,
is currently 98.5 percent. NFLIS includes drug
chemistry results from completed analyses only.
While NFLIS data is not direct evidence of abuse,
it can lead to an inference that a drug has been
diverted and abused. See 76 FR 77330, 77332,
December 12, 2011. NFLIS data was queried on
August 18, 2020.
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substance) and fentanyl (a schedule II
substance). In reports from the
Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime
Laboratory, suspected heroin/fentanyl
powders were analyzed and found to be
brorphine in combination with
flualprazolam, a non-scheduled
benzodiazepine, and diphenhydramine,
an over-the-counter antihistamine.5
Post-mortem toxicology samples
collected and submitted to National
Medical Services (NMS) Laboratory 6 in
June and July 2020 verified the
appearance of brorphine. Brorphine was
first reported by the Center for Forensic
Science Research and Education
(CFSRE)—Novel Psychoactive
Substance (NPS) Discovery Program
(under the novel psychoactive
substances discovery program, in
collaboration with NMS Labs) in July
2020. In seven post-mortem toxicology
reports in June 2020 and July 2020,
brorphine was found in combination
with fentanyl, flualprazolam, and
heroin. Evidence suggests that
individuals are using brorphine as a
replacement to heroin or other opioids,
either knowingly or unknowingly.
Factor 5. Scope, Duration, and
Significance of Abuse
Brorphine has been described as a
potent synthetic opioid and evidence
suggests it is being abused for its
opioidergic effects (see Factor 6).
According to a recent publication by
CFSRE—NPS Discovery, brorphine has
been positively identified in seven
death investigation cases spanning
between June 2020 and July 2020. These
cases correspond to three states—
Illinois (3), Minnesota (3), and Arizona
(1). Most (n = 6) of the decedents were
male. The decedents’ ages ranged
between 40’s and 60’s with an average
age of 52 years. Other substances
identified in postmortem blood
specimens obtained from these
decedents include flualprazolam, a
nonscheduled benzodiazepine (n = 5),
fentanyl, a schedule II substance (n = 7),
and heroin, a schedule I substance (n =
4). The appearance of benzodiazepines
and other opioids is common with
polysubstance abuse.
5 Email communications with Northeastern
Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory, dated 7/1/2020
and 6/11/2020.
6 NMS Labs, in collaboration with the Center for
Forensic Science Research and Education at the
Fredric Rieders Family Foundation and the
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force at
the United States Department of Justice, has
received funding from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to develop systems for the
early identification and notification of novel
psychoactive substances in the drug supply within
the United States.
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NFLIS registered 20 reports of
brorphine from Ohio (4), Pennsylvania
(1), and Wisconsin (15) in 2019 and
2020. NFLIS was queried on August 18,
2020, for brorphine. Due to the rapid
appearance of the drug, brorphine is
most likely under reported as forensic
laboratories secure reference standards
for the confirmative identification and
reporting of this substance.
The population likely to abuse
brorphine appears to be the same as
those abusing prescription opioid
analgesics, heroin, tramadol, fentanyl,
and other synthetic opioid substances.
This is evidenced by the types of other
drugs co-identified in samples obtained
from brorphine seizures and postmortem toxicology reports. Because
abusers of brorphine are likely to obtain
it through unregulated sources, the
identity, purity, and quantity of
brorphine are uncertain and
inconsistent, thus posing significant
adverse health risks to the end user. The
misuse and abuse of opioids have been
demonstrated and are wellcharacterized. According to the most
recent data from the National Survey on
Drug Use and Health (NSDUH),7 as of
2018, an estimated 10.3 million people
aged 12 years or older misused opioids
in the past year, including 9.9 million
prescription pain reliever misusers and
808,000 heroin users. In 2018, an
estimated 2 million people had an
opioid use disorder which included 1.7
million people with a prescription pain
reliever use disorder and 500,000
people with heroin use disorder. This
population abusing opioids is likely to
be at risk of abusing brorphine.
Individuals who initiate use (i.e., use a
drug for the first time) of brorphine are
likely to be at risk of developing
substance use disorder, overdose, and
death similar to that of other opioid
analgesics (e.g., fentanyl, morphine,
etc.). Law enforcement reports
demonstrate that brorphine is being
illicitly distributed and abused.
7 The National Survey on Drug Use and Health
(NSDUH), formerly known as the National
Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), is
conducted annually by the Department of Health
and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is the
primary source of estimates of the prevalence and
incidence of nonmedical use of pharmaceutical
drugs, illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use in the
United States. The survey is based on a nationally
representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population 12 years of age and
older. The survey excludes homeless people who
do not use shelters, active military personnel, and
residents of institutional group quarters such as
jails and hospitals. The NSDUH provides yearly
national and state level estimates of drug abuse, and
includes prevalence estimates by lifetime (i.e., ever
used), past year, and past month abuse or
dependence.
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Factor 6. What, if Any, Risk There Is to
the Public Health
The increase in opioid overdose
deaths in the United States has been
exacerbated recently by the availability
of potent synthetic opioids on the illicit
drug market. Data obtained from preclinical studies demonstrate that
brorphine exhibits a pharmacological
profile similar to that of other mu (m)opioid receptor agonists. Data from in
vitro studies completed in 2020 showed
that brorphine binds to and activates the
m-opioid receptors. In the [35S]GTPgS
cell-based receptor assay, brorphine,
similar to fentanyl, acted as a m-opioid
receptor agonist. Brorphine’s activation
of m-opioid receptor was also shown to
involve recruitment of beta-arrestin-2, a
regulatory protein whose interaction
with the m-opioid receptor has been
implicated in the adverse effects of mopioid receptor activation. Brorphine
binds to and activates the m-opioid
receptor and has efficacy on scale with
fentanyl. It is well established that
substances that act as m-opioid receptor
agonists have a high potential for
addiction and can induce dosedependent respiratory depression.
As with any m-opioid receptor agonist,
the potential health and safety risks for
users of brorphine are high. The public
health risks associated to the abuse of
heroin and other m-opioid receptor
agonists are well established and have
resulted in large numbers of drug
treatment admissions, emergency
department visits, and fatal overdoses.
According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), opioids,
mainly synthetic opioids other than
methadone, are predominantly
responsible for drug overdose deaths in
recent years. A CDC report shows that,
from 2013 to 2018, opioid-related
overdose deaths in the United States
increased from 25,052 to 46,802. Of the
drug overdose deaths for 2018, opioids
were involved in about 69.5 percent of
all drug-involved overdose deaths.
In the United States, the abuse of
opioid analgesics has resulted in large
numbers of treatment admissions,
emergency department visits, and fatal
overdoses. The introduction of potent
synthetic opioids such as brorphine into
the illicit market may serve as a portal
to problematic opioid use for those
seeking these powerful opioids.
Brorphine has been co-identified with
other substances in seven post-mortem
toxicology cases in June and July of
2020. These substances include other
opioids such as fentanyl and heroin,
and other substance classes such as
benzodiazepines. These deaths occurred
in three states: Illinois, Arizona, and
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78049
Finding of Necessity of Schedule I
Placement To Avoid Imminent Hazard
to Public Safety
In accordance with 21 U.S.C.
811(h)(3), based on the available data
and information summarized above, the
uncontrolled manufacture, distribution,
reverse distribution, importation,
exportation, conduct of research and
chemical analysis, possession, and
abuse of brorphine pose an imminent
hazard to the public safety. DEA is not
aware of any currently accepted medical
uses for brorphine in the United States.
A substance meeting the statutory
requirements for temporary scheduling,
found in 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1), may only
be placed in schedule I. Substances in
schedule I are those that have a high
potential for abuse, no currently
accepted medical use in treatment in the
United States, and a lack of accepted
safety for use under medical
supervision. Available data and
information for brorphine indicate that
this substance has a high potential for
abuse, no currently accepted medical
use in treatment in the United States,
and a lack of accepted safety for use
under medical supervision. As required
by 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(4), the Acting
Administrator, through a letter dated
September 22, 2020, notified the
Assistant Secretary of DEA’s intention
to temporarily place brorphine in
schedule I.
imminent hazard to the public safety,
the temporary order scheduling this
substance will be effective on the date
the order is published in the Federal
Register, and will be in effect for a
period of two years, with a possible
extension of one additional year,
pending completion of the regular
(permanent) scheduling process. 21
U.S.C. 811(h)(1) and (2). It is the
intention of the Acting Administrator to
issue a temporary scheduling order as
soon as possible after the expiration of
30 days from the date of publication of
this document. Upon publication of the
temporary order, brorphine will then be
subject to the CSA’s schedule I
regulatory controls and administrative,
civil, and criminal sanctions applicable
to the manufacture, distribution, reverse
distribution, importation, exportation,
research, conduct of instructional
activities and chemical analysis, and
possession.
The CSA sets forth specific criteria for
scheduling a drug or other substance.
Regular scheduling actions in
accordance with 21 U.S.C. 811(a) are
subject to formal rulemaking procedures
done ‘‘on the record after opportunity
for a hearing’’ conducted pursuant to
the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 556 and 557.
21 U.S.C. 811. The regular scheduling
process of formal rulemaking affords
interested parties with appropriate
process and the government with any
additional relevant information needed
to make a determination. Final
decisions that conclude the regular
scheduling process of formal
rulemaking are subject to judicial
review. 21 U.S.C. 877. Temporary
scheduling orders are not subject to
judicial review. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(6).
Conclusion
This notice of intent provides the 30day notice pursuant to 21 U.S.C.
811(h)(1) of DEA’s intent to issue a
temporary scheduling order. In
accordance with 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1) and
(3), the Acting Administrator considered
available data and information, herein
set forth the grounds for his
determination that it is necessary to
temporarily schedule brorphine in
schedule I of the CSA, and finds that
placement of this substance in schedule
I of the CSA is necessary in order to
avoid an imminent hazard to the
public’s safety.
The temporary placement of
brorphine in schedule I of the CSA will
take effect pursuant to a temporary
scheduling order, which will not be
issued before January 4, 2021. Because
the Acting Administrator hereby finds
that it is necessary to temporarily place
brorphine in schedule I to avoid an
Regulatory Analyses
The CSA provides for a temporary
scheduling action where such action is
necessary to avoid an imminent hazard
to the public safety. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1).
As provided in this subsection, the
Administrator (as delegated by the
Attorney General) may, by order,
schedule a substance in schedule I on a
temporary basis. Such an order may not
be issued before the expiration of 30
days from: (1) The publication of a
notice in the Federal Register of the
intention to issue such order and the
grounds upon which such order is to be
issued, and (2) the date that notice of
the proposed temporary scheduling
order is transmitted to the Secretary of
HHS.
Inasmuch as 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1)
directs that temporary scheduling
actions be issued by order and sets forth
the procedures by which such orders are
to be issued, including the requirement
Minnesota. Information gathered from
case history findings shows that
brorphine use is similar to that of classic
opioid agonists. As documented by
toxicology reports, poly-substance abuse
remains common in fatalities associated
with the abuse of brorphine.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 233 / Thursday, December 3, 2020 / Proposed Rules
of a publication in the Federal Register
of a notice of intent, the notice-andcomment requirements of section 553 of
the Administrative Procedure Act
(APA), 5 U.S.C. 553, do not apply to this
notice of intent. The APA expressly
differentiates between an order and a
rule, as it defines an ‘‘order’’ to mean a
‘‘final disposition, whether affirmative,
negative, injunctive, or declaratory in
form, of an agency in a matter other
than rule making.’’ 5 U.S.C. 551(6)
(emphasis added). The specific language
chosen by Congress indicates an
intention for DEA to proceed through
the issuance of an order instead of
proceeding by rulemaking. Given that
Congress specifically requires the
Administrator to follow rulemaking
procedures for other kinds of scheduling
actions, see 21 U.S.C. 811(a), it is
noteworthy that, in 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1),
Congress authorized the issuance of
temporary scheduling actions by order
rather than by rule.
In the alternative, even assuming that
this notice of intent might be subject to
section 553 of the APA, the Acting
Administrator finds that there is good
cause to forgo the notice-and-comment
requirements of section 553, as any
further delays in the process for
issuance of temporary scheduling orders
would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest in view of the
manifest urgency to avoid an imminent
hazard to the public safety.
Although DEA believes this notice of
intent to issue a temporary scheduling
order is not subject to the notice-andcomment requirements of section 553 of
the APA, DEA notes that in accordance
with 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(4), the Acting
Administrator took into consideration
comments submitted by the Assistant
Secretary in response to the notice that
DEA transmitted to the Assistant
Secretary pursuant to such subsection.
Further, DEA believes that this
temporary scheduling action is not a
‘‘rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C. 601(2),
and, accordingly, is not subject to the
requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act. The requirements for the
preparation of an initial regulatory
flexibility analysis in 5 U.S.C. 603(a) are
not applicable where, as here, DEA is
not required by section 553 of the APA
or any other law to publish a general
notice of proposed rulemaking.
In accordance with the principles of
Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866, 13563,
and 13771, this notice of intent is not
a significant regulatory action. E.O.
12866 directs agencies to assess all costs
and benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
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(including potential economic,
environmental, public health, and safety
effects; distributive impacts; and
equity). E.O. 13563 is supplemental to
and reaffirms the principles, structures,
and definitions governing regulatory
review as established in E.O. 12866.
E.O. 12866 classifies a ‘‘significant
regulatory action,’’ requiring review by
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), as any regulatory action that is
likely to result in a rule that may: (1)
Have an annual effect on the economy
of $100 million or more or adversely
affect in a material way the economy; a
sector of the economy; productivity;
competition; jobs; the environment;
public health or safety; or State, local,
or tribal governments or communities;
(2) create a serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency; (3)
materially alter the budgetary impact of
entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan
programs, or the rights and obligations
of recipients thereof; or (4) raise novel
legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President’s priorities, or
the principles set forth in the Executive
Order. Because this is not a rulemaking
action, this is not a significant
regulatory action as defined in Section
3(f) of E.O. 12866. In addition, this
action does not meet the definition of an
E.O. 13771 regulatory action, and the
repeal and cost offset requirements of
E.O. 13771 have not been triggered.
This action will not have substantial
direct effects on the states, on the
relationship between the national
government and the states, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government. Therefore, in
accordance with E.O. 13132
(Federalism), it is determined that this
action does not have sufficient
federalism implications to warrant the
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 1308
Administrative practice and
procedure, Drug traffic control,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
For the reasons set out above, DEA
proposes to amend 21 CFR part 1308 as
follows:
PART 1308—SCHEDULES OF
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
1. The authority citation for part 1308
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 811, 812, 871(b),
956(b), unless otherwise noted.
2. In § 1308.11, add paragraph (h)(49)
to read as follows:
■
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§ 1308.11
*
Schedule I
*
*
(h) * * *
*
*
(49) 1-(1-(1-(4-bromophenyl)
ethyl)piperidin-4-yl)-1,3-dihydro2H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-one, its
isomers, esters, ethers, salts and
salts of isomers, esters and ethers
(Other names: brorphine; 1-[1-[1(4-bromophenyl)ethyl]-4piperidinyl]-1,3-dihydro-2Hbenzimidazol-2-one) ....................
*
*
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9098
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Timothy J. Shea,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020–26301 Filed 12–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–09–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R09–OAR–2020–0534; FRL–10016–
98–Region 9]
Approval and Promulgation of Air
Quality State Implementation Plans;
California; Plumas County; Moderate
Area Plan for the 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve
through parallel processing a state
implementation plan (SIP) revision
submitted by the State of California to
address Clean Air Act (CAA or ‘‘Act’’)
requirements for the 2012 annual fine
particulate matter (PM2.5) national
ambient air quality standard (NAAQS or
‘‘standard’’) in the Plumas County
Moderate PM2.5 nonattainment area
(‘‘Portola nonattainment area’’). The
submitted SIP revision is the State’s
‘‘Proposed Portola PM2.5 Plan
Contingency Measure SIP Submittal’’
(‘‘Proposed PM2.5 Plan Revision’’),
which includes a revised City of Portola
ordinance regulating PM2.5 emission
sources and the State’s demonstration
that this submission meets the Moderate
area contingency measure requirement
for the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS in the
Portola nonattainment area. The EPA is
also proposing to approve the
contingency measure element of the
Moderate area attainment plan for the
Portola nonattainment area, as revised
and supplemented by the Proposed
PM2.5 Plan Revision. Because the EPA is
proceeding by parallel processing, the
agency is proposing, in the alternative,
to disapprove the contingency measure
element of the Moderate area attainment
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03DEP1.SGM
03DEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 233 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 78047-78050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26301]
[[Page 78047]]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
21 CFR Part 1308
[Docket No. DEA-716]
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of
Brorphine in Schedule I
AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice.
ACTION: Proposed amendment; notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration is issuing this notice of intent to publish a temporary
order to schedule 1-(1-(1-(4-bromophenyl)ethyl)piperidin-4-yl)-1,3-
dihydro-2H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-one (commonly known as brorphine),
including its isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers,
esters, and ethers whenever the existence of such isomers, esters,
ethers, and salts is possible, in schedule I of the Controlled
Substances Act. When it is issued, the temporary scheduling order will
impose the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal
sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who
handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export,
engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical
analysis, or possess) or propose to handle brorphine.
DATES: December 3, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terrence L. Boos, Drug and Chemical
Evaluation Section, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement
Administration; Mailing Address: 8701 Morrissette Drive, Springfield,
Virginia 22152; Telephone: (571) 362-8207.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document is issued pursuant to the
temporary scheduling provisions of 21 U.S.C. 811(h). The Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) intends to issue a temporary
scheduling order (in the form of a temporary amendment) to add
brorphine to schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).\1\
The temporary scheduling order will be published in the Federal
Register on or after January 4, 2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Though DEA has used the term ``final order'' with respect to
temporary scheduling orders in the past, this notice of intent
adheres to the statutory language of 21 U.S.C. 811(h), which refers
to a ``temporary scheduling order.'' No substantive change is
intended.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal Authority
The CSA provides the Attorney General (as delegated to the
Administrator of DEA (Administrator) pursuant to 28 CFR 0.100) with the
authority to temporarily place a substance in schedule I of the CSA for
two years without regard to the requirements of 21 U.S.C. 811(b), if he
finds that such action is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the
public safety. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1). In addition, if proceedings to
control a substance are initiated under 21 U.S.C. 811(a)(1) while the
substance is temporarily controlled under section 811(h), the
Administrator may extend the temporary scheduling for up to one year.
21 U.S.C. 811(h)(2).
Where the necessary findings are made, a substance may be
temporarily scheduled if it is not listed in any other schedule under
21 U.S.C. 812, or if there is no exemption or approval in effect for
the substance under section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act, 21 U.S.C. 355. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1); 21 CFR part 1308.
Background
Section 811(h)(4) requires the Administrator to notify the
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of his
intention to temporarily place a substance in schedule I of the CSA.\2\
The Acting Administrator transmitted notice of his intent to place
brorphine in schedule I on a temporary basis to the Assistant Secretary
for Health of HHS (Assistant Secretary) by letter dated September 22,
2020. The Assistant Secretary responded to this notice by letter dated
October 27, 2020, and advised that based on a review by the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), there are currently no investigational new
drug applications or approved new drug applications for brorphine. The
Assistant Secretary also stated that HHS had no objection to the
temporary placement of brorphine in schedule I of the CSA. Brorphine is
not currently listed in any schedule under the CSA, and no exemptions
or approvals are in effect for brorphine under 21 U.S.C. 355.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The Secretary of HHS has delegated to the Assistant
Secretary for Health of HHS the authority to make domestic drug
scheduling recommendations. 58 FR 35460, July 1, 1993.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find that placing a substance temporarily in schedule I of the
CSA is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety, the
Administrator is required to consider three of the eight factors set
forth in 21 U.S.C. 811(c): The substance's history and current pattern
of abuse; the scope, duration and significance of abuse; and what, if
any, risk there is to the public health. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(3).
Consideration of these factors includes actual abuse; diversion from
legitimate channels; and clandestine importation, manufacture, or
distribution. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(3).
A substance meeting the statutory requirements for temporary
scheduling may only be placed in schedule I. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1).
Substances in schedule I are those that have a high potential for
abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United
States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision. 21 U.S.C. 812(b)(1).
Brorphine
The availability of synthetic opioids on the illicit drug market
continues to pose an imminent hazard to the public safety. Adverse
health effects associated with the abuse of synthetic opioids and the
increased popularity of these substances have been serious concerns in
recent years. The presence of new synthetic opioids with no approved
medical use exacerbates the unprecedented opioid epidemic the United
States continues to experience. The trafficking and abuse of new
synthetic opioids are deadly new trends.
The identification of brorphine on the illicit drug market has been
reported in the United States, Canada, Belgium, and Sweden. Data
obtained from preclinical pharmacology studies show that brorphine has
a pharmacological profile similar to that of other potent opioids such
as morphine and fentanyl, schedule II controlled substances. Because of
the pharmacological similarities between brorphine and other potent
opioids, the use of brorphine presents a high risk of abuse and may
negatively affect users and their communities. The positive
identification of this substance in law enforcement seizures and post-
mortem toxicology reports is a serious concern to the public safety.
The abuse of brorphine has been associated with at least seven
fatalities between June 2020 and July 2020 in the United States. Thus,
brorphine poses an imminent hazard to public safety.
Available data and information for brorphine, as summarized below,
indicates that this substance has a high potential for abuse, no
currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a
lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. DEA's three-
factor analysis is available in its entirety under ``Supporting and
Related Material'' of the public docket for this action at
www.regulations.gov under Docket Number DEA-716.
[[Page 78048]]
Factor 4. History and Current Pattern of Abuse
Brorphine is part of a structural class of compounds known as
substituted piperidine benzimidazolones. The general synthesis of
brorphine was first reported in the literature in 2018. Brorphine is
not an approved pharmaceutical product and is not approved for medical
use anywhere in the world. The Assistant Secretary, by a letter to DEA
dated October 27, 2020, stated that there are no FDA-approved new drug
applications or investigational new drug applications for brorphine in
the United States; hence, there is no legitimate channel for brorphine
as a marketed drug product. The appearance of brorphine on the illicit
drug market is similar to other designer drugs trafficked for their
psychoactive effects.
Since 2014, numerous synthetic opioids structurally related to
fentanyl and several synthetic opioids from other structural classes
have begun to emerge on the illicit drug market as evidenced by the
identification of these drugs in forensic drug exhibits and toxicology
samples. Beginning in June 2019, brorphine emerged in the U.S. illicit,
synthetic drug market as evidenced by brorphine's identification in
drug seizures. Between July and September of 2019, brorphine was first
reported in drug casework in Canada and was first reported in police
seizures in Sweden in March 2020.\3\
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\3\ Health Canada Drug Analysis Service (2019); Analyzed Drug
Report Canada 2019--Q3 (July to September); European Monitoring
Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) (2020); EU Early
Warning System Situation Report, Situation report 1--June 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brorphine has been encountered by U.S. law enforcement in powder
form. In the United States, brorphine has been identified as a single
substance and in combination with other substances. Twenty reports of
brorphine have been reported in the National Forensic Laboratory
Information System (NFLIS) in 2019 and 2020 from three different states
(see Factor 5).\4\ In several NFLIS encounters, brorphine was found in
combination with heroin (a schedule I substance) and fentanyl (a
schedule II substance). In reports from the Northeastern Illinois
Regional Crime Laboratory, suspected heroin/fentanyl powders were
analyzed and found to be brorphine in combination with flualprazolam, a
non-scheduled benzodiazepine, and diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter
antihistamine.\5\
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\4\ NFLIS represents an important resource in monitoring illicit
drug trafficking, including the diversion of legally manufactured
pharmaceuticals into illegal markets. NFLIS-Drug is a comprehensive
information system that includes data from forensic laboratories
that handle the nation's drug analysis cases. NFLIS-Drug
participation rate, defined as the percentage of the national drug
caseload represented by laboratories that have joined NFLIS, is
currently 98.5 percent. NFLIS includes drug chemistry results from
completed analyses only. While NFLIS data is not direct evidence of
abuse, it can lead to an inference that a drug has been diverted and
abused. See 76 FR 77330, 77332, December 12, 2011. NFLIS data was
queried on August 18, 2020.
\5\ Email communications with Northeastern Illinois Regional
Crime Laboratory, dated 7/1/2020 and 6/11/2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-mortem toxicology samples collected and submitted to National
Medical Services (NMS) Laboratory \6\ in June and July 2020 verified
the appearance of brorphine. Brorphine was first reported by the Center
for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE)--Novel Psychoactive
Substance (NPS) Discovery Program (under the novel psychoactive
substances discovery program, in collaboration with NMS Labs) in July
2020. In seven post-mortem toxicology reports in June 2020 and July
2020, brorphine was found in combination with fentanyl, flualprazolam,
and heroin. Evidence suggests that individuals are using brorphine as a
replacement to heroin or other opioids, either knowingly or
unknowingly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ NMS Labs, in collaboration with the Center for Forensic
Science Research and Education at the Fredric Rieders Family
Foundation and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force at
the United States Department of Justice, has received funding from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop systems
for the early identification and notification of novel psychoactive
substances in the drug supply within the United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Factor 5. Scope, Duration, and Significance of Abuse
Brorphine has been described as a potent synthetic opioid and
evidence suggests it is being abused for its opioidergic effects (see
Factor 6). According to a recent publication by CFSRE--NPS Discovery,
brorphine has been positively identified in seven death investigation
cases spanning between June 2020 and July 2020. These cases correspond
to three states--Illinois (3), Minnesota (3), and Arizona (1). Most (n
= 6) of the decedents were male. The decedents' ages ranged between
40's and 60's with an average age of 52 years. Other substances
identified in postmortem blood specimens obtained from these decedents
include flualprazolam, a nonscheduled benzodiazepine (n = 5), fentanyl,
a schedule II substance (n = 7), and heroin, a schedule I substance (n
= 4). The appearance of benzodiazepines and other opioids is common
with polysubstance abuse.
NFLIS registered 20 reports of brorphine from Ohio (4),
Pennsylvania (1), and Wisconsin (15) in 2019 and 2020. NFLIS was
queried on August 18, 2020, for brorphine. Due to the rapid appearance
of the drug, brorphine is most likely under reported as forensic
laboratories secure reference standards for the confirmative
identification and reporting of this substance.
The population likely to abuse brorphine appears to be the same as
those abusing prescription opioid analgesics, heroin, tramadol,
fentanyl, and other synthetic opioid substances. This is evidenced by
the types of other drugs co-identified in samples obtained from
brorphine seizures and post-mortem toxicology reports. Because abusers
of brorphine are likely to obtain it through unregulated sources, the
identity, purity, and quantity of brorphine are uncertain and
inconsistent, thus posing significant adverse health risks to the end
user. The misuse and abuse of opioids have been demonstrated and are
well-characterized. According to the most recent data from the National
Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH),\7\ as of 2018, an estimated 10.3
million people aged 12 years or older misused opioids in the past year,
including 9.9 million prescription pain reliever misusers and 808,000
heroin users. In 2018, an estimated 2 million people had an opioid use
disorder which included 1.7 million people with a prescription pain
reliever use disorder and 500,000 people with heroin use disorder. This
population abusing opioids is likely to be at risk of abusing
brorphine. Individuals who initiate use (i.e., use a drug for the first
time) of brorphine are likely to be at risk of developing substance use
disorder, overdose, and death similar to that of other opioid
analgesics (e.g., fentanyl, morphine, etc.). Law enforcement reports
demonstrate that brorphine is being illicitly distributed and abused.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly
known as the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), is
conducted annually by the Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
It is the primary source of estimates of the prevalence and
incidence of nonmedical use of pharmaceutical drugs, illicit drugs,
alcohol, and tobacco use in the United States. The survey is based
on a nationally representative sample of the civilian, non-
institutionalized population 12 years of age and older. The survey
excludes homeless people who do not use shelters, active military
personnel, and residents of institutional group quarters such as
jails and hospitals. The NSDUH provides yearly national and state
level estimates of drug abuse, and includes prevalence estimates by
lifetime (i.e., ever used), past year, and past month abuse or
dependence.
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[[Page 78049]]
Factor 6. What, if Any, Risk There Is to the Public Health
The increase in opioid overdose deaths in the United States has
been exacerbated recently by the availability of potent synthetic
opioids on the illicit drug market. Data obtained from pre-clinical
studies demonstrate that brorphine exhibits a pharmacological profile
similar to that of other mu ([micro])-opioid receptor agonists. Data
from in vitro studies completed in 2020 showed that brorphine binds to
and activates the [micro]-opioid receptors. In the [\35\S]GTP[gamma]S
cell-based receptor assay, brorphine, similar to fentanyl, acted as a
[micro]-opioid receptor agonist. Brorphine's activation of [micro]-
opioid receptor was also shown to involve recruitment of beta-arrestin-
2, a regulatory protein whose interaction with the [micro]-opioid
receptor has been implicated in the adverse effects of [micro]-opioid
receptor activation. Brorphine binds to and activates the [micro]-
opioid receptor and has efficacy on scale with fentanyl. It is well
established that substances that act as [micro]-opioid receptor
agonists have a high potential for addiction and can induce dose-
dependent respiratory depression.
As with any [micro]-opioid receptor agonist, the potential health
and safety risks for users of brorphine are high. The public health
risks associated to the abuse of heroin and other [micro]-opioid
receptor agonists are well established and have resulted in large
numbers of drug treatment admissions, emergency department visits, and
fatal overdoses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), opioids, mainly synthetic opioids other than
methadone, are predominantly responsible for drug overdose deaths in
recent years. A CDC report shows that, from 2013 to 2018, opioid-
related overdose deaths in the United States increased from 25,052 to
46,802. Of the drug overdose deaths for 2018, opioids were involved in
about 69.5 percent of all drug-involved overdose deaths.
In the United States, the abuse of opioid analgesics has resulted
in large numbers of treatment admissions, emergency department visits,
and fatal overdoses. The introduction of potent synthetic opioids such
as brorphine into the illicit market may serve as a portal to
problematic opioid use for those seeking these powerful opioids.
Brorphine has been co-identified with other substances in seven
post-mortem toxicology cases in June and July of 2020. These substances
include other opioids such as fentanyl and heroin, and other substance
classes such as benzodiazepines. These deaths occurred in three states:
Illinois, Arizona, and Minnesota. Information gathered from case
history findings shows that brorphine use is similar to that of classic
opioid agonists. As documented by toxicology reports, poly-substance
abuse remains common in fatalities associated with the abuse of
brorphine.
Finding of Necessity of Schedule I Placement To Avoid Imminent Hazard
to Public Safety
In accordance with 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(3), based on the available data
and information summarized above, the uncontrolled manufacture,
distribution, reverse distribution, importation, exportation, conduct
of research and chemical analysis, possession, and abuse of brorphine
pose an imminent hazard to the public safety. DEA is not aware of any
currently accepted medical uses for brorphine in the United States. A
substance meeting the statutory requirements for temporary scheduling,
found in 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1), may only be placed in schedule I.
Substances in schedule I are those that have a high potential for
abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United
States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision. Available data and information for brorphine indicate that
this substance has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted
medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted
safety for use under medical supervision. As required by 21 U.S.C.
811(h)(4), the Acting Administrator, through a letter dated September
22, 2020, notified the Assistant Secretary of DEA's intention to
temporarily place brorphine in schedule I.
Conclusion
This notice of intent provides the 30-day notice pursuant to 21
U.S.C. 811(h)(1) of DEA's intent to issue a temporary scheduling order.
In accordance with 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1) and (3), the Acting
Administrator considered available data and information, herein set
forth the grounds for his determination that it is necessary to
temporarily schedule brorphine in schedule I of the CSA, and finds that
placement of this substance in schedule I of the CSA is necessary in
order to avoid an imminent hazard to the public's safety.
The temporary placement of brorphine in schedule I of the CSA will
take effect pursuant to a temporary scheduling order, which will not be
issued before January 4, 2021. Because the Acting Administrator hereby
finds that it is necessary to temporarily place brorphine in schedule I
to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety, the temporary order
scheduling this substance will be effective on the date the order is
published in the Federal Register, and will be in effect for a period
of two years, with a possible extension of one additional year, pending
completion of the regular (permanent) scheduling process. 21 U.S.C.
811(h)(1) and (2). It is the intention of the Acting Administrator to
issue a temporary scheduling order as soon as possible after the
expiration of 30 days from the date of publication of this document.
Upon publication of the temporary order, brorphine will then be subject
to the CSA's schedule I regulatory controls and administrative, civil,
and criminal sanctions applicable to the manufacture, distribution,
reverse distribution, importation, exportation, research, conduct of
instructional activities and chemical analysis, and possession.
The CSA sets forth specific criteria for scheduling a drug or other
substance. Regular scheduling actions in accordance with 21 U.S.C.
811(a) are subject to formal rulemaking procedures done ``on the record
after opportunity for a hearing'' conducted pursuant to the provisions
of 5 U.S.C. 556 and 557. 21 U.S.C. 811. The regular scheduling process
of formal rulemaking affords interested parties with appropriate
process and the government with any additional relevant information
needed to make a determination. Final decisions that conclude the
regular scheduling process of formal rulemaking are subject to judicial
review. 21 U.S.C. 877. Temporary scheduling orders are not subject to
judicial review. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(6).
Regulatory Analyses
The CSA provides for a temporary scheduling action where such
action is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety.
21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1). As provided in this subsection, the Administrator
(as delegated by the Attorney General) may, by order, schedule a
substance in schedule I on a temporary basis. Such an order may not be
issued before the expiration of 30 days from: (1) The publication of a
notice in the Federal Register of the intention to issue such order and
the grounds upon which such order is to be issued, and (2) the date
that notice of the proposed temporary scheduling order is transmitted
to the Secretary of HHS.
Inasmuch as 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1) directs that temporary scheduling
actions be issued by order and sets forth the procedures by which such
orders are to be issued, including the requirement
[[Page 78050]]
of a publication in the Federal Register of a notice of intent, the
notice-and-comment requirements of section 553 of the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553, do not apply to this notice of
intent. The APA expressly differentiates between an order and a rule,
as it defines an ``order'' to mean a ``final disposition, whether
affirmative, negative, injunctive, or declaratory in form, of an agency
in a matter other than rule making.'' 5 U.S.C. 551(6) (emphasis added).
The specific language chosen by Congress indicates an intention for DEA
to proceed through the issuance of an order instead of proceeding by
rulemaking. Given that Congress specifically requires the Administrator
to follow rulemaking procedures for other kinds of scheduling actions,
see 21 U.S.C. 811(a), it is noteworthy that, in 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1),
Congress authorized the issuance of temporary scheduling actions by
order rather than by rule.
In the alternative, even assuming that this notice of intent might
be subject to section 553 of the APA, the Acting Administrator finds
that there is good cause to forgo the notice-and-comment requirements
of section 553, as any further delays in the process for issuance of
temporary scheduling orders would be impracticable and contrary to the
public interest in view of the manifest urgency to avoid an imminent
hazard to the public safety.
Although DEA believes this notice of intent to issue a temporary
scheduling order is not subject to the notice-and-comment requirements
of section 553 of the APA, DEA notes that in accordance with 21 U.S.C.
811(h)(4), the Acting Administrator took into consideration comments
submitted by the Assistant Secretary in response to the notice that DEA
transmitted to the Assistant Secretary pursuant to such subsection.
Further, DEA believes that this temporary scheduling action is not
a ``rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 601(2), and, accordingly, is not
subject to the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The
requirements for the preparation of an initial regulatory flexibility
analysis in 5 U.S.C. 603(a) are not applicable where, as here, DEA is
not required by section 553 of the APA or any other law to publish a
general notice of proposed rulemaking.
In accordance with the principles of Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866,
13563, and 13771, this notice of intent is not a significant regulatory
action. E.O. 12866 directs agencies to assess all costs and benefits of
available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to
select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including
potential economic, environmental, public health, and safety effects;
distributive impacts; and equity). E.O. 13563 is supplemental to and
reaffirms the principles, structures, and definitions governing
regulatory review as established in E.O. 12866. E.O. 12866 classifies a
``significant regulatory action,'' requiring review by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), as any regulatory action that is likely to
result in a rule that may: (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of
$100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy;
a sector of the economy; productivity; competition; jobs; the
environment; public health or safety; or State, local, or tribal
governments or communities; (2) create a serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user
fees, or loan programs, or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or (4) raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in
the Executive Order. Because this is not a rulemaking action, this is
not a significant regulatory action as defined in Section 3(f) of E.O.
12866. In addition, this action does not meet the definition of an E.O.
13771 regulatory action, and the repeal and cost offset requirements of
E.O. 13771 have not been triggered.
This action will not have substantial direct effects on the states,
on the relationship between the national government and the states, or
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various
levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with E.O. 13132
(Federalism), it is determined that this action does not have
sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a
Federalism Assessment.
List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 1308
Administrative practice and procedure, Drug traffic control,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
For the reasons set out above, DEA proposes to amend 21 CFR part
1308 as follows:
PART 1308--SCHEDULES OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
0
1. The authority citation for part 1308 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 811, 812, 871(b), 956(b), unless otherwise
noted.
0
2. In Sec. 1308.11, add paragraph (h)(49) to read as follows:
Sec. 1308.11 Schedule I
* * * * *
(h) * * *
(49) 1-(1-(1-(4-bromophenyl)ethyl)piperidin-4-yl)-1,3-dihydro- 9098
2H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-one, its isomers, esters, ethers, salts
and salts of isomers, esters and ethers (Other names:
brorphine; 1-[1-[1-(4-bromophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinyl]-1,3-
dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-one)................................
* * * * *
Timothy J. Shea,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-26301 Filed 12-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-09-P