The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has cautioned that there has been a “cluster of illnesses” associated with products containing the drug tianeptine. The CDC revealed that 20 cases linked to tianeptine use in 17 different patients were reported in New Jersey between June 2023 and November 2023. According to the agency, this was an “unusual surge” from the poison center’s average of two or fewer exposure calls per year. Among the 17 patients, nearly 14 of them disclosed ingesting tianeptine from Neptune’s Fix, a flavored elixir shot that was recently recalled. On Sunday, Neptune Resources voluntarily recalled all of its Fix Elixir, Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Fix Tablets after discovering they contained the antidepressant drug tianeptine. The company explained, “The products are being recalled because they contain tianeptine, an ingredient that is not FDA-approved for any medical use. The presence of tianeptine renders the products unapproved drugs for which safety and efficacy have not been established and, therefore, are subject to recall.” George Karavetsos, a lawyer and former director of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, described tianeptine as “gas station heroin.” He emphasized the danger of this drug, stating that “companies are making dangerous and unproven medical claims to U.S. consumers that tianeptine can improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder and other conditions.” However, he noted that “there have been increased reports tianeptine is being abused and used as an opioid alternative” and that it has been directly linked to overdoses, coma, and death. The FDA issued an online notice stating that it continues to “receive severe adverse event reports after use of Neptune‘s Fix products, including seizures, loss of consciousness and death.” “These products may also interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking,” the FDA said, adding that the agency “is actively investigating adverse event reports in conjunction with local and state health departments.” According to the CDC, the drug is easily obtained in elixir formulations either online or at gas stations and convenience stores. In early January, the FDA sent a letter to various organizations, including convenience stores and gas stations, urging retailers to stop selling Neptune’s Fix and any other tianeptine-containing products, following multiple reports of serious medical injuries.
