Lawmakers are asking the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider the supplement they call “gas station heroin.” Association with seizures, overdose, and death.
5 members of the US House of Representatives Participants in North Carolina, Tennessee and Colorado sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on Thursday, requesting an urgent request for an agency to review tianeptine and its presence in the United States. Congressman Jeff Jackson, D-North Carolina; I wrote a letter.
Mr. Jackson pointed out that: FDA has issued several warnings He mentioned tianeptine, but said it was not enough to stop its distribution. The FDA previously stated that this supplement Reported to be addictive and that Neptune fixproducts containing supplements resulted in multiple hospitalizations.
“While we appreciate these warnings, we believe further action against the use of tianeptine is necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the American public,” Jackson wrote. Rep. Rich McCormick, Republican, North Carolina. John Rhodes, Republican, Tennessee. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) signed the letter.
Lawmakers called on the FDA to present research on the supplement and provide information on how it is working with the Department of Health and law enforcement to stop distribution of tianeptine. They also asked whether the agency had cooperated with the FDA. Drug Enforcement Administration to reclassify Supplement under the Controlled Substances Act.
What is tianeptine?
of National Institutes of Health saThe company's website states that tianeptine is a supplement used in Europe to treat people who have a poor response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, the most commonly prescribed drugs for depression. It has been. SSRIs include brands such as Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and Lexapro.
According to the NIH, tianeptine is sold worldwide as Coaxyl, Stavron, and Tatinol. The agency said it is not available for medical use in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United Kingdom. However, the substance is sold at many gas stations, corner stores, and other convenience stores under the brand names “Zaza'' and “Tianna Red.''
“Recent reports indicate that tianeptine is highly addictive and that tianeptine withdrawal symptoms are strikingly similar to opioid withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, chills, and insomnia,” Jackson wrote. ing. “Recent medical research shows that tianeptine can cause fatal overdose.”
Review published by NIH in July He said the supplement was nicknamed “gas station heroin” after people reported it. Analgesic and addictive properties Similar to heroin and other painkillers.
“Like other 'gas station drugs', attention has been focused on the use of tianeptine within the community due to the increased incidence of individuals experiencing adverse effects.” Dr. Amber Edinoff of Harvard Medical School I wrote in the review. ”WBRC, a media station in Birmingham, Alabama, recently reported. Tianeptine was mentioned in nearly 1,000 calls to poison control centers and three deaths. Those involved in the recent outbreak included teenagers who could legally purchase drugs containing tianeptine. ”
She says tianeptine lasts in the body for about 2.5 hours. An overdose and suicide attempt were found to be the cause.
of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has this to say about tianeptine on its website: Abuse and withdrawal symptoms can mimic what occurs with opioids.
Which states have banned tianeptine?
This dietary supplement is prohibited in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee.
of The FDA issued its latest warning in November. It urged people not to buy products containing tianeptine, calling the supplement a “potentially dangerous substance.” The agency said the drugs were being sold illegally with claims to improve brain function and treat mental illness and opioid use disorder.
Contact reporter Crystal Nurse. [email protected]. Follow her on Platform X, formerly known as her Twitter. @KrystalRNurse.
