Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Number is a unique identifier that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assigns to healthcare providers and entities authorized to prescribe, handle, or distribute controlled substances. The purpose of the DEA number is to create an accountable and traceable system for all controlled substances, minimizing the risk of misuse, diversion, or regulatory violations.
DEA number consists of two letters with seven digits that is being issued to individual practitioners, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, researchers, and distributors, depending on the role in the supply chain of controlled substances. This number is legally required for the following:
Prescribing controlled substances (Schedule II-V drugs)
Ordering controlled medications from manufacturers or wholesalers.
Tracking and auditing the movement and use of controlled substances.
DEA Number for Pharmaceuticals Order
Controlled pharmaceuticals such as opioids, sedatives, and ADHD medications are classified under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) into Schedules I to V based on the potential for abuse and accepted medical use.
To prevent diversion or misuse of the controlled substances, here are the reasons why a DEA number is needed to order these pharmaceuticals:
Ordering the controlled substances requires a DEA-registered entity.
Distributors and manufacturers must verify the DEA number before shipping the products.
All transactions must be documented and made available to the DEA for audits and inspections.
Note: DEA numbers are part of the closed distribution system intended to maintain strict accountability from production to final use.
DEA Number for Pharmaceuticals Disposal
Disposal of pharmaceuticals, especially controlled substances, must be done by the DEA regulations under the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010. DEA number is typically required because of the following:
Documentation and Chain of Custody.
DEA requires all handling and disposal activities to be tracked using DEA numbers to identify responsible parties.Disposal Authorization.
Only DEA-registered entities or authorized collectors such as pharmacies, hospitals, or reverse distributors can legally accept and dispose of controlled substances.Reverse Distribution.
When a healthcare facility sends expired or unused controlled medications to a reverse distributor (a company that handles disposal), a DEA number is needed for manifesting and compliance with the DEA Form 222 (for Schedule II substances) or for record keeping of Schedules III-V.