Do pharmacies registered to handle controlled substances need to obtain a separate DEA registration for List 1 chemicals?

Pharmacies that are registered to handle controlled substances do not need to obtain a separate DEA registration for List I chemicals because List I chemicals are considered to be precursor chemicals that can be used in the manufacturing of controlled substances. The DEA primarily regulates the handling of controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and for a pharmacy that is already registered to handle controlled substances, further registration for List I chemicals is not required.

The reason behind this is that the regulatory framework takes into account the existing licenses and registrations that pharmacies hold for controlled substances. Thus, the requirements are streamlined to avoid burdening pharmacies with redundant registrations. However, this does not mean that they are free from adhering to other requirements related to the handling of List I chemicals, such as record-keeping and reporting, but the additional DEA registration is not a stipulation.

While options that suggest registration based on dispensing or manufacturing could imply additional complexities, these situations don't necessitate a separate registration when a pharmacy is simply handling List I chemicals under its existing controlled substance registration.