IUPAC Name
Methyl 1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-[phenyl(propanoyl)amino]piperidine-4-carboxylate
Current Scheduling Status
Schedule I of the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Year(s) and type of review / ECDD meetings
Drug Class
Recommendation (from TRS)
Substance identification
Furanyl fentanyl is chemically known as N-Phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl) piperidin-4-yl]furan-2-carboxamide. Furanyl fentanyl has no stereoisomers.
Previous review
Furanyl fentanyl has not been previously pre-reviewed or critically reviewed. A direct critical review was proposed based on information brought to WHO’s attention that furanyl fentanyl is clandestinely manufactured, of especially serious risk to public health and society, and of no recognized therapeutic use by any Party. Preliminary information collected from various sources indicated that this substance may cause substantial harm and that it has no medical use.
Similarity to known substances and effects on the central nervous system
Furanyl fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is an analogue of fentanyl. The methods developed for the synthesis of fentanyl are applicable to the synthesis of furanyl fentanyl as it relies on similar precursors and synthetic methods. It is a μ-opioid receptor agonist and produces typical opioid effects including analgesia, miosis, sedation and respiratory depression.
Dependence potential
No information on controlled experimental studies in laboratory animals or humans directly pertinent to the dependence or abuse potential of furanyl fentanyl are currently available.
Actual abuse and/or evidence of likelihood of abuse
The EMCDDA-Europol report noted 113 seizures across a number of European countries. The United States Centers for Disease Control reported 244 drug submissions testing positive for furanyl fentanyl in the first seven months of 2016. Authorities in the USA reported a total of 607 drug samples in which furanyl fentanyl was identified in forensic laboratories between December 2015 and September 2016. Deaths and cases of intoxication associated with furanyl fentanyl usage have been reported from Europe and North America between 2015 and 2017. The US Drug Enforcement Agency reported 128 confirmed fatalities associated with the drug. Canada reported 43 overdose events caused by crack cocaine contaminated with furanyl fentanyl. Serious adverse events (10 cases of acute intoxication and 19 deaths) have been associated with furanyl fentanyl use in Europe.
Therapeutic usefulness
There are no approved therapeutic applications nor any marketing authorizations for furanyl fentanyl.
Recommendation
Furanyl fentanyl is a compound liable to similar abuse and with similar ill effects to controlled opioids such as fentanyl, which are included in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. It has no recorded therapeutic use and its use has been associated with fatalities. There is sufficient evidence that it is being or is likely to be abused so as to constitute a public health and social problem warranting the placing of the substance under international control. Thus, because it meets the required condition of similarity, it is recommended that furanyl fentanyl (N-Phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-yl]furan- 2-carboxamide) be placed in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, as consistent with Article 3, paragraph 3 (iii) of that Convention in that the substance is liable to similar abuse and productive of similar ill effects to drugs in Schedule I.
Furanyl fentanyl is chemically known as N-Phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl) piperidin-4-yl]furan-2-carboxamide. Furanyl fentanyl has no stereoisomers.
Previous review
Furanyl fentanyl has not been previously pre-reviewed or critically reviewed. A direct critical review was proposed based on information brought to WHO’s attention that furanyl fentanyl is clandestinely manufactured, of especially serious risk to public health and society, and of no recognized therapeutic use by any Party. Preliminary information collected from various sources indicated that this substance may cause substantial harm and that it has no medical use.
Similarity to known substances and effects on the central nervous system
Furanyl fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is an analogue of fentanyl. The methods developed for the synthesis of fentanyl are applicable to the synthesis of furanyl fentanyl as it relies on similar precursors and synthetic methods. It is a μ-opioid receptor agonist and produces typical opioid effects including analgesia, miosis, sedation and respiratory depression.
Dependence potential
No information on controlled experimental studies in laboratory animals or humans directly pertinent to the dependence or abuse potential of furanyl fentanyl are currently available.
Actual abuse and/or evidence of likelihood of abuse
The EMCDDA-Europol report noted 113 seizures across a number of European countries. The United States Centers for Disease Control reported 244 drug submissions testing positive for furanyl fentanyl in the first seven months of 2016. Authorities in the USA reported a total of 607 drug samples in which furanyl fentanyl was identified in forensic laboratories between December 2015 and September 2016. Deaths and cases of intoxication associated with furanyl fentanyl usage have been reported from Europe and North America between 2015 and 2017. The US Drug Enforcement Agency reported 128 confirmed fatalities associated with the drug. Canada reported 43 overdose events caused by crack cocaine contaminated with furanyl fentanyl. Serious adverse events (10 cases of acute intoxication and 19 deaths) have been associated with furanyl fentanyl use in Europe.
Therapeutic usefulness
There are no approved therapeutic applications nor any marketing authorizations for furanyl fentanyl.
Recommendation
Furanyl fentanyl is a compound liable to similar abuse and with similar ill effects to controlled opioids such as fentanyl, which are included in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. It has no recorded therapeutic use and its use has been associated with fatalities. There is sufficient evidence that it is being or is likely to be abused so as to constitute a public health and social problem warranting the placing of the substance under international control. Thus, because it meets the required condition of similarity, it is recommended that furanyl fentanyl (N-Phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-yl]furan- 2-carboxamide) be placed in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, as consistent with Article 3, paragraph 3 (iii) of that Convention in that the substance is liable to similar abuse and productive of similar ill effects to drugs in Schedule I.
ECDD Recommendation
Inclusion in Schedule I of the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Link to full TRS
9789241210188-eng.pdf417.9 KB
MS Questionnaire Report
4.6_furanyl-fentanyl_annex1.pdf372.7 KB