Comment on FR Doc # 2026-10380

I respectfully oppose the proposal to place diphenidine in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. While I recognize concerns regarding misuse and public safety, Schedule I classification creates substantial barriers to scientific research by imposing the most restrictive regulatory requirements. The available evidence indicates that diphenidine acts as an NMDA receptor antagonist, a class of compounds that has contributed to important advances in neuroscience, pain management, and psychiatric research. Given the limited body of research on diphenidine, placing it in Schedule I may discourage further investigation into its pharmacology, therapeutic potential, and long-term effects. I encourage the DEA to consider a less restrictive scheduling category that would maintain regulatory oversight while facilitating legitimate scientific research. Such an approach would continue to address concerns regarding abuse and diversion while allowing researchers to more efficiently study the substance and determine whether it may have future clinical applications. Policies that balance public safety with scientific inquiry are more likely to advance both public health and medical knowledge.