US EditionAnimal sedative medetomidine is showing up in the US illegal drug supply, CDC says
- The CDC published three reports on May 1, 2025, documenting clusters of overdoses involving medetomidine in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.
- Medetomidine, an animal sedative first detected in North American illegal opioids in 2022, is increasingly mixed mainly with fentanyl in the illicit drug supply.
- In Chicago, 12 confirmed medetomidine-involved overdoses puzzled officials due to naloxone's ineffectiveness, while Philadelphia found the drug in 72% of opioid samples late last year.
- Over 160 individuals experienced a fentanyl withdrawal that did not respond to standard treatments, with dexmedetomidine proving effective; during the same timeframe, Pittsburgh documented 10 comparable cases.
- The rising presence of medetomidine, which causes severe sedation and complicates overdose reversals, signals a new challenge in the U.S. Opioid crisis and response efforts.
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Medetomidine, a Pet Sedative, Spreads in U.S. Illegal Drug Supply
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Animal Sedative Medetomidine Is Showing Up in the Illegal Drug Supply, CDC Says
(MedPage Today) -- The animal sedative medetomidine is increasingly showing up in the U.S. illegal drug supply, according to three reports released Thursday. Medetomidine, which is used to sedate pets and is somewhat similar to xylazine, was first...
‘Mystery Overdoses’ in U.S. Traced to Powerful Pet Sedative in Drug Supply
The animal sedative medetomidine is increasingly showing up in the U.S. illegal drug supply, according to three reports released Thursday. Medetomidine, which is used to sedate pets and is somewhat similar to xylazine, was first detected in illegally manufactured opioids in North America in 2022. Investigators say the drug is being mixed in with other illicit drugs, mainly fentanyl, the synthetic opioid behind most overdose deaths. On Thursday, …
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