The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (21 U.S.C. 801-971) establishes a closed system of distribution for controlled substances. To this end, controlled substances are closely monitored and tightly regulated as they are distributed through the supply chain. One tool that helps to maintain the closed system of distribution is the CSA provision that states it âshall be unlawful for any person to distribute a controlled substance in schedules I or II to another except in pursuance of a written order of the person to whom such substance is distributed, made on a form to be issued by the Attorney General in blank in accordance with subsection (d) of this section . . . .â 21 U.S.C. 828(a). The regulations implementing this provision are contained in 21 CFR part 1305.
Pursuant to the CSA, the DEA provides authorized registrants (e.g., purchasers) with DEA Forms 222 for ordering schedules I and II controlled substances. 21 U.S.C. 828(d). The DEA Form 222 is subsequently provided by the purchaser to a supplier because, without the appropriate DEA Form 222, the supplier is prohibited from distributing schedules I or II controlled substances to the purchaser. Suppliers must then forward an executed copy of each DEA Form 222 to the DEA. This system in which the DEA provides a pre-printed order form to the purchaser, who then submits the annotated order form to the supplier, who then submits the completed form to the DEA, helps maintain the closed system of distribution because each registrant in the transaction serves as a check against the other.
Since 2005, registrants have also been permitted to issue orders for schedules I and II controlled substances electronically, provided that the electronic order is signed using a digital certificate issued by the DEA Certification Authority. This electronic ordering system is called the âControlled Substances Ordering System,â or CSOS. The regulations governing the creation, transmission, and storage of electronic orders are contained in 21 CFR part 1311, subpart B.
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The DEA is adjusting its burden estimates to account for the new single-sheet format of DEA Form 222. The decrease in annual responses reflects efficiencies of the new DEA Form 222 format including having more lines per form, an anticipated reduction in instances of form failure, allowing the use of a printer, and general ease of use over the current format. DEA also adjusted its methodology to estimate the amount of online responses relative to paper responses due to the change in paper format, causing the amount of online responses to decrease. The new DEA Form 222 format doubles the amount of ordering lines per form from 10 to 20, requiring the number of online transaction items to be divided by 20 instead of 10. The decrease in annual burden hours reflects the decrease in annual responses. The decrease in annual burden dollars reflects the decrease in annual burden hours and includes an estimated increase in burden dollar per hour.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.