Drugs subject to special control in Vietnam

Drugs subject to special control in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Drugs subject to special control in Vietnam

According to Clause 26, Article 3 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016, controlled drugs include:

- The following drugs: 

+ Narcotic drug means a drug that contains any psychoactive substance that easily causes addiction on the List of narcotic active ingredients promulgated by the Minister of Health of Vietnam.

+ Psychotropic drug means a drug that contains any psychoactive substance or hallucinogen that can cause addiction if used many times on the List of psychotropic substances promulgated by the Minister of Health of Vietnam.

+ Precursor drug means a drug that contains any precursor on the List of drug precursors promulgated by the Minister of Health.

+ Combined drug that contain narcotic ingredients means a drug that contain various active ingredients including narcotic ingredients with the content specified by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.

+ Combined drug that contain psychotropic substances means a drug that contain various active ingredients including psychotropic ingredients with the content specified by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.

+ Combined drug that contain precursors means a drug that contain various active ingredients including precursors with the content specified by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.

+ Radiopharmaceutical means a drug that contains radionuclides used for diagnosis, treatment of diseases in humans or medical-biological research, including radioactive isotopes or radioactive isotopes combined with tracers.

+ Radioactive isotope means the isotope of an element the nucleus of which is instable and emitting ionizing irradiation while undergoing radioactive decay in order to be stable.

- Toxic drugs, toxic medicinal ingredients on the List promulgated by the Minister of Health;

- Drugs, active ingredients on the List of banned substances in some fields and sectors promulgated by the Government.

2. Classification of controlled drugs in Vietnam

Classification of controlled drugs in Vietnam is specified in Article 3 of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT, specifically as follows:

- Narcotic drugs include:

+ Any drug that contains one or some narcotic active ingredients; any drug that contains both active ingredients and psychotropic active ingredients regardless of availability of drug precursors specified in Appendices I, II, III of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

+ Any drug that contains active ingredients (regardless of availability of psychotropic active ingredients or drug precursors) combined with active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors where the concentration of the narcotic active ingredient exceeds the limits specified in Appendix IV of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

- Psychotropic drugs include:

+ Any drug that contains one or some psychotropic active ingredients; any drug that contains both psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors specified in Appendices II and III of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

+ Any drug that contains psychotropic active ingredients (regardless of availability of narcotic active ingredients or drug precursors) combined with active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors where the concentration of the narcotic active ingredient (if any) does not exceed the limits specified in Appendix IV of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

- Precursor drugs include:

+ Any drug that contains one or some drug precursors specified in Appendix III of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT;

+ Any drug that contains drug precursors (regardless of availability of narcotic active ingredients or psychotropic active ingredients) combined with active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors with where the concentration of the drug precursor exceeds the limits specified in Appendix VI of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT, the concentration of the narcotic active ingredient (if any) does not exceed the limits specified in Appendix IV of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT and the concentration of the psychotropic active ingredient (if any) does not exceed the limits specified in Appendix V of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

- A combined drug that contains narcotic active ingredients is a drug that:

+ contains narcotic active ingredients or both narcotic active ingredients and psychotropic active ingredients, regardless of availability of drug precursors, where the concentrations of the narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors do not exceed the limits specified in Appendix IV, V and VI of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT; and

+ contains active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors.

- A combined drug that contains psychotropic active ingredients is a drug that:

+ contains psychotropic active ingredients or both psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors where the concentrations of psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors do not exceed the limits specified in Appendix V and VI of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT; and

+ contains active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors.

- A combined drug that contains precursors is a drug that:

+ contains drug precursors where the concentrations of drug precursors do not exceed the limits specified in Appendix VI of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT; and

+ contains active ingredients other than narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients and drug precursors.

- Drugs and active ingredients banned from certain fields:

Drugs and active ingredients banned from certain fields are identified according to the criteria specified in Clause 2 Article 41 of Decree 54/2017/ND-CP.

Diem My

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