Neptune’s Fix Elixir has been recalled.Photo:FDA
FDA
A supplement known as “Neptune’s Fix” has been recalled, theFood and Drug Administration announced, due to “a reasonable probability of life-threatening events.”
Those include “suicidal ideation or behavior for children, adolescents, and young adults 25 and younger,” the recall announcement said.
The supplement — whose logo is a cartoon depiction of King Neptune — comes in tablet form, or as a drinkable beverage in flavors like cherry and lemon. It’s sold at gas stations and convenience stores, which has earned it the nickname “gas station heroin,”NBC News says.
The “elixir” contains tianeptine, an anti-depressant which is not FDA-approved for medical use.
Last year, there was an “uncharacteristic spike” in tianeptine exposure reported to New Jersey’s Poison Control Center,the CDC says, causing a “cluster of severe illness.”
Neptune’s Fix Elixir and Tablets have been recalled.FDA
“Usually we might see something like this in 1 in 100 poisonings,” Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, told NBC News.
“That’s potentially an incredibly potent mixture of drugs.”
Synthetic cannabinoids are associated with “severe health problems,” theNational Institute on Drug Abusesays, and some of those can be “life-threatening.”
All the patients had “altered mental status,” and medical complications included tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hypotension (low blood pressure), seizure — and one went into cardiac arrest.
Thirteen of the patients ended up hospitalized in the intensive care unit; seven were intubated. It’s not clear, however, if all the patients were exposed to the synthetic pot.
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“The presence of tianeptine renders the products unapproved drugs for which safety and efficacy have not been established and, therefore, are subject to recall,” the FDA explained in its announcement.
The agency has previously issueddire warningsagainst products containing tianeptine, claiming manufacturers are “making dangerous and unproven claims that tianeptine can improve brain function and treatanxiety,depression, pain,opioid use disorder, and other conditions.”
However, those with a history of opioid abuse may be at“particular risk”of abusing it, the FDA said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
source: people.com
