Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Cipepofol in Schedule IV
Key claim: DEA is immediately placing the newly FDA-approved anesthetic cipepofol (Cypsedo) in Schedule IV, so it will be handled as a controlled substance with moderate abuse-potential restrictions.
Abstract
(Rule · Justice Department, Drug Enforcement Administration) On May 29, 2026, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug application for Cypsedo (cipepofol) for induction of general anesthesia in adults undergoing surgery. The Department of Health and Human Services provided the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with a scheduling recommendation to place cipepofol, chemically known as 2-[(1R)-1-cyclopropylethyl]-6- isopropylphenol, in schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). In accordance with the CSA, as amended by the Improving Regulatory Transparency for New Medical Therapies Act, DEA is hereby issuing an interim final rule placing cipepofol in schedule IV of the CSA.
Why this matters
Schedule IV placement means cipepofol (Cypsedo) can be prescribed but under DEA controls — prescribers need a DEA registration, refills are limited, and hospitals and pharmacies must handle it with recordkeeping and security requirements for controlled substances. For anesthesia providers, this affects how the drug is stocked, wasted, and documented compared with non-scheduled anesthetics. The action is a routine post-FDA-approval scheduling step rather than a policy shift.