Is Lyrica (pregabalin) a controlled substance?

Yes. Pregabalin, the drug sold as Lyrica, is a Schedule V controlled substance under US federal law. In the United Kingdom it has been a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and a Schedule 3 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 since April 1, 2019. The two countries reached the same drug by different routes and in different years.

What is pregabalin?

MedlinePlus says pregabalin is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. Section 1 of the Lyrica label (Parke-Davis, a division of Pfizer, DailyMed, published September 29, 2025) lists these approved uses:

• neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• postherpetic neuralgia
• adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures in patients 1 month of age and older
• fibromyalgia
• neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury

Pregabalin is a close relative of gabapentin in how doctors use it, but their legal status in the United States differs. See Is gabapentin a controlled substance? for the other side of that comparison.

What schedule is Lyrica in the United States?

Schedule V. The DEA placed pregabalin in Schedule V in a final rule published in the Federal Register on July 28, 2005 (70 FR 43633). Today it appears in 21 CFR 1308.15, the regulation that lists Schedule V, among the depressants in paragraph (e). Section 9.1 of the Lyrica label states:

LYRICA is a Schedule V controlled substance. LYRICA is not known to be active at receptor sites associated with drugs of abuse.

Schedule V is the lowest of the five federal schedules. Under 21 U.S.C. 812(b)(5), a Schedule V substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the substances in Schedule IV. The general scheme is described on the drug schedules page. The narcotic column of the DEA list shows "N" for pregabalin, so the DEA does not flag it as a narcotic drug. Under 21 U.S.C. 802(17) a narcotic drug is opium, an opiate or a derivative, poppy straw, coca leaf, cocaine, ecgonine or a compound containing them. Readers who want the full definition can read what is a narcotic.

What does Schedule V mean for prescriptions?

Under 21 CFR 1306.21, a pharmacist may dispense a Schedule III, IV or V prescription drug on a signed paper prescription, a faxed copy, an electronic prescription that meets the federal requirements, or an oral prescription that the pharmacist promptly writes down. The refill limits in 21 CFR 1306.22 (no filling or refilling more than six months after the date of issue, and no more than five refills) are written for Schedules III and IV. That section does not mention Schedule V. The practical limits for pregabalin therefore also come from state law and from each prescriber's and pharmacy's own rules, which vary. The state board of pharmacy is the authority for anyone who needs the rule for a particular state.

Virginia is one state whose code we opened. Section 54.1-3454 of the Code of Virginia (Virginia General Assembly, checked October 6, 2026) lists pregabalin in state Schedule V, the same schedule as the federal one.

Is pregabalin a controlled drug in the UK?

Yes. The Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs shows pregabalin as Class C, Schedule 3. The change took effect on April 1, 2019 through two instruments.

• The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1356) added pregabalin to the Class C drugs in Schedule 2 to the 1971 Act.
• The Misuse of Drugs and Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) (Amendment) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1383) added it to Schedule 3 to the 2001 Regulations and to the exempted drugs under the Safe Custody Regulations 1973.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says that, under these rules, a prescription must be dispensed within 28 days of being written, and that it is illegal to possess pregabalin without a prescription or for a patient to supply it to others. The MHRA gives the reason for the change as concern about abuse and dependence. Its Drug Safety Update of April 16, 2019 tells prescribers to evaluate patients for a history of drug abuse and to watch for signs of abuse and dependence.

For Class C, the government's penalties page lists up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both for possession and up to 14 years, an unlimited fine or both for supply and production. More on the class system is on the UK drug classes page. Because the Home Office list is limited to commonly encountered drugs, it is a good first check and legislation.gov.uk is the full text.

That answers "is pregabalin a controlled drug UK" and "is Lyrica a controlled substance". Both brand and generic names refer to the same substance, so the status is identical.

What does the label say about abuse and dependence?

Section 9.1 advises prescribers to evaluate patients for a history of drug abuse and to observe them for signs of misuse or abuse, such as development of tolerance, dose escalation and drug-seeking behavior. Section 9.3 says that after abrupt or rapid discontinuation in clinical studies, some patients reported symptoms including insomnia, nausea, headache or diarrhea, which the label describes as consistent with physical dependence. In postmarketing experience, anxiety and hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating) were also reported.

This information is the reason regulators give for treating pregabalin as a controlled drug. It is not guidance for any one person. Anyone who takes pregabalin and has questions about stopping or changing it should talk to the prescriber or pharmacist first. In the UK, NHS 111 can also advise.

Related pages

• Gabapentin, not federally controlled but Class C in the UK
• What is a controlled substance?
• Tramadol, another Class C, Schedule 3 drug in the UK
• The full list of drugs on this site

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