President Trump Signs Illicit Fentanyl Scheduling Bill into Law – Legal Medical-Use Fentanyl Not Impacted

On Wednesday, July 16, President Donald Trump officially signed into law H.R. 27, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies illicit-use fentanyl and related substances as a Schedule I controlled substance. The purpose of the law is to strengthen the tools available to law enforcement to address illegal fentanyl abuse. The HALT Act does not apply to legally manufactured, medical-use fentanyl. ASA actively engaged with the bill’s authors and other Congressional leaders to formally establish Congressional intent that the HALT Act does not apply to medical grade fentanyl. ASA’s engagement helped secure statements for the Congressional record from Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02), Chair of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, indicating Congress’s intent to maintain the supply of medical fentanyl in surgery.  ASA member Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD-01) and members of the House Doctors’ Caucus also hosted a press conference on the importance of the HALT Act and explained the differences between medical-use fentanyl and illicit fentanyl.