Italy implements new rules for narcotic drug traceability

The Italian Ministry of Health has implemented new regulations regarding the security, custody, and traceability of narcotic and psychotropic medicines within healthcare facilities. Published in the Official Gazette on September 25, 2026, the decree establishes uniform minimum measures for managing substances listed in sections A, B, and C of the national drug tables.

The measures aim to prevent theft, tampering, fraud, and the diversion of legal medicines into illegal circuits. Requirements include storing drugs in locked cabinets or containers inaccessible to unauthorized personnel and implementing reinforced access controls for high-security substances. Facilities must designate authorized personnel and ensure strict traceability to match recorded quantities with physical stock.

The decree applies to public and private hospital pharmacies, specialized hospital units, addiction services, penitentiary structures, and centralized warehouses. It also covers veterinary facilities, though certain veterinary structures holding fewer than seven packages of the regulated medicines are exempt from these specific new rules. The regulation aligns with the national prevention plan against the misuse of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.