VIENNA 11 March 2026
Distinguished Madam Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honour to present the INCB Annual Report and Precursors Report for 2025. However, I regret to inform you that, due to the liquidity crisis, the Precursors Report could not be printed, and only limited copies of the Annual Report are available. Electronic versions of the reports are available in the official languages on the INCB website.
The thematic chapter of the Annual Report is on international cooperation in drug control and the role of INCB. The health and wellbeing of people worldwide continues to be protected by international cooperation through the framework of the drug control conventions.
The system of estimates and assessments for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is a success story for international cooperation, as the level of diversion of licitly produced controlled substances is very low. INCB Learning is helping Governments to improve the accuracy of their estimates and assessments, with a view to improving availability for medical and scientific purposes, which I will cover under item 5 d.
To address the proliferation of highly potent synthetic drugs, INCB encourages governments to use INCB tools, technologies and training, including the IONICS Suite, CHEMPROFILER and SNOOP.
The Precursors Report provides an update of the world precursor situation and action taken to implement articles 12 and 13 of the 1988 Convention on precursors and materials, including non-scheduled chemicals and equipment used in illicit drug manufacture.
In March 2025, use of the INCB PEN Online platform prevented the diversion of three tons of 1-boc-4-piperidone, a fentanyl precursor which could have been used to manufacture up to 1.6 billion potentially fatal doses of fentanyl.
The Precursors Report includes a recommendation that Governments identify oversupply and prevent diversion by using all available tools, such as PEN Online, PEN Online Light, estimates of annual legitimate requirements and actual trade data. Governments should step up cooperation with various industries, including through mapping national industry landscapes.
I urge your Governments to implement the recommendations contained in the reports, which I cannot fully cover within the allotted time.
In promoting a balanced approach to international drug control, INCB reminds that, while the conventions provide flexibility in the choice of measures, national systems must ensure that the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is limited exclusively to medical and scientific purposes, and that implementation measures take into consideration the principle of proportionality, the rule of law and human rights.
INCB is committed to reinforcing the cooperative efforts of countries to implement the conventions, address emerging challenges and safeguard health and welfare. These efforts are dependent on your participation and support, for which I thank you.
