DEA fees for veterinarians to rise in November

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Veterinarians who will be renewing their DEA registration soon might consider mailing their applications before Nov. 1, when a higher rate takes effect.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is raising the annual fees for practitioners and researchers who handle controlled substances from $130 to $184—or $551 for a three-year registration period. The new fees will affect applications with a postmark of Nov. 1 or later.

Annual fees also are increasing from $1,625 to $2,293 for manufacturers of controlled substances and from $813 to $1,147 for distributors, importers, and exporters of controlled substances.

The Controlled Substances Act authorizes the attorney general, who delegates the administrator of the DEA, "to charge reasonable fees relating to the registration and control of the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of controlled substances and listed chemicals."

The Appropriations Act of 1993 established the Diversion Control Fee Account as the sole source of funding for the Diversion Control Program, which exercises controls to prevent diversion of controlled substances for illegal uses. The act mandated that fees "shall be set at a level that ensures the recovery of the full costs of operating the various aspects of that program."

The Controlled Substances Act only later extended to control of listed chemicals. The DEA maintained separate funding for diversion control of controlled substances and of listed chemicals. For chemicals, fees covered the costs of registration while appropriated funds covered operating costs for diversion control.

Then the Appropriations Act of 2005 clarified that reimbursements from the Diversion Control Fee Account "shall be made without distinguishing between expenses related to controlled substances activities and expenses related to chemical activities."

Annual fees will rise from $595 to $2,293 for chemical manufacturers; from $595 to $1,147 for chemical distributors, importers, and exporters; and from $255 to $1,147 for chemical retail distributors.

The DEA published the proposal to increase fees Nov. 16, 2005, and published the final rule Aug. 29, 2006. The notices appeared in the Federal Register, available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/.

The DEA last raised fees in 2003, despite opposition from the AVMA and other medical organizations. Previously, the DEA increased fees in 1993.

Additional information is available from Mark W. Caverly, Chief, Liaison and Policy Section, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, D.C. 20537; phone, (202) 307-7297.