Etorphine-Hydrochloride / Diprenorphine Use And Storage Compliance
Posted by Safe & Vault on Apr 02, 2015
Etorphine-Hydrochloride is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic that was first prepared in 1960 from the drug oripavine. Oripavine is an agonist drug, binding primarily with the mu gamma receptor to slow the transmission of pain to the brain. Etorphine is 1,000 to 3,000 times more powerful than morphine.
Due to the extreme potency, etorphine-hydrochloride is only prescribed for veterinary uses, and is only used in the treatment of extremely large animals such as elephants, and rhinoceros’. Etorphine is given as an intramuscular injection, and must be administered into a large muscle area (neck, shoulder, back, or hindquarters.)
Etorphine-hydrochloride is has a unique relationship to its “sister” drug, Diprenorphine (sold under the brand name “Revivon.”) Diprenorphine is an opioid receptor antagonist, and acts in a reversing effect of Etorphine. When administered in proportion to the amount of etorphine used (1.3 times the dosage), diprenorphine will counteract the effect of etorphine nearly as quickly as they became evident.
One drawback of the use of etorphine-hydrochloride is that it is extremely toxic to humans, even in the tiniest of doses. Due to this potentially life-threatening side effect of etorphine, it is never sold without the companion doseage of diprenorphine, and the dosage must be prepared and be ready to be administered together. The human antidote is known as naloxone, and is also sent with requested doses of etorphine, and must also be prepared along with any doses as though it were going to be administered.
While a high incidence of side effects (including cardiopulmonary depression) have taken the combination out of favor of many veterinarians, there are still many advantages to its use. The main advantage to etorphine-hydrochloride is how quickly it takes effect, and transversely how quickly diprenorphine can reverse the doseage. The high potency and quickness of the etorphine-hydrochloride / diprenorphine combination means that it is used frequently in treating large animals when rapid onset and rapid recovery are crucial.
Storage Compliance Requirements and Approved Safes & Containers.
Due to the extreme nature of the effect of etorphine-hydrochloride on human beings, the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control has explicit regulations for storing this drug. Under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, §1301.75 “Physical Security Controls for Practitioners” part (e) states, “Carfentanil, etorphine hydrochloride, and diprenorphine shall be stored in a safe or steel cabinet equivalent to a U.S. Government Class V security container.”
In order to maintain compliance with DEA regulations, a Class V (Class 5) security container must meet the following definition;
A class 5 GSA Approved uninsulated security container and protection provided is:
- 20 man-hours against surreptitious entry
- 10 man-minutes against forced entry
- 20 man-hours against radiological attack
- 30 man-minutes against covert entry.
Note that all of our Class 5 Security Containers meet the FF-L-2740 Lock Specification and are approved for the storage of controlled substances under Schedule I or Schedule Compliance requirements.
For more information on pricing and identifying the best safe for your compliance needs, call -1-866-867-0306