Healthcare on the Hill - Update - H.R.5298 a bill that would classify all opioid mu receptor agonists schedule I

The text of H.R. 5298 is now available. When we first saw the full title of this bill it appeared that it would, if passed, result in all opioids that act at mu receptor agonists being classified as schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs include heroin, LSD, marijuana, and peyote. 



Virtually everyone is aware of the opioid crisis and the need to take strong action, but classifying all opioids that act as mu agonists schedule I seemed to be going too far. Opioids that act as mu agonists include:

  • Morphine
  • Oxymorphone
  • Hydromorphone
  • Fentanyl
  • Meperidine
  • Methadone

This class of opioids certainly have legitimate uses. Morphine is commonly used to control end stage cancer pain for example.


The full text of the bill is now available and it is not a alarming as it originally appeared. It does seek to amend the FD&C to classify all opioids that act as mu receptor agonists as schedule I drugs except for certain exemptions.

Those exemptions include drugs that are approved under an NDA or an ANDA. So the bill does not appear to affect drugs currently available on the market.

You can read the full text of the bill here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5298/text