This response agrees with recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) in 3 reports about the control and scheduling of 5 medicines.
The government accepts the ACMD's recommendations in relation to the classification and scheduling of the 5 medicines featured in the ACMD's reports:
- Somapacitan, lonapegsomatropin and somatrogon: ACMD advice
- Ganaxolone: ACMD advice
- Zuranolone: ACMD advice
The ACMD recommended that:
the 3 growth hormones somapacitan, lonapegsomatropin, and somatrogon should be controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and scheduled under Schedule 4 (Part 2) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001
ganaxolone, a neuroactive steroid to treat a rare form of epilepsy, should not be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 nor scheduled under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 at this time
zuranolone, an oral, synthetic neuroactive steroid (NAS) with rapid antidepressant effects used to treat post natal depression, should be controlled under Class C of the 1971 Act and scheduled under Schedule 4, (Part I) of the 2001 Regulations
