Neptune's Fix products sold nationwide are being recalled for containing tianeptine (also known as “gas station heroin”), a substance linked to addiction and fatal overdoses.
All branded products, including Neptune's Fix Elixir, Neptune's Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Neptune's Fix Tablets, will be recalled for the use of tianeptine, the brand's operator, Neptune Resources, said on Sunday. , said in an announcement published in Food & Beverage. Pharmaceutical management. The agency has not approved tianeptine for medical use.
Neptune said the FDA believes that “children, adolescents, and young adults under the age of 25 have a reasonable probability of experiencing life-threatening events, including suicidal thoughts and actions,” and that It advises that there are further risks. Testing of the bottle, labeled “Neptune's Fix,” also revealed mind-altering substances mixed with tianeptine, including synthetic cannabinoids, which are man-made versions of marijuana's main ingredient.
“Several bottles of Neptune's Fix were tested. Substances identified include tianeptine, kava, two synthetic cannabinoids, and two botanicals,” New Jersey Poison Control Center spokeswoman Alicia Gambino said in an email. It contained sex cannabinoids.”
“Happiness in a Bottle”
The company advertised Neptune's Fix as “happiness in a bottle” with effects “better than kratom.” Some other countries have approved tianeptine as a prescription drug for anxiety and depression, but the FDA has not given the green light for its use.
There have been multiple recalls FDA warns the public For the Neptune brand and other products containing tianeptine, reports of adverse effects related to this drug are increasing in the United States.
Meanwhile, Neptune Resources is asking the FDA to crack down on counterfeit drugs laced with other drugs, blaming tianeptine for a recent increase in seizures and hospitalizations reported using its products. are doing.
Neptune Resources said in a recall announcement that its bottles were only sold in amber glass bottles with a “shrink sleeve” label that covered the entire product. This differs from the other bottles listed in the FDA warning, which simply have a screw-on cap and a simple label around the product.
The Kansas City, Missouri-based company said the recalled products, which are distributed to wholesale and retail customers across the country, bear the name “Neptune's Fix” and a Roman figure with a green beard and a trident. It is said that they can be identified by the logo, which is an illustration of God.
Anyone who purchased a recalled product should stop using it and either destroy or return the product to the place of purchase. If you have any questions, please contact Neptune at 816-256-2071, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
Tianeptine toxicity is on the rise
The number of poison control center cases related to tianeptine increased from 11 between 2000 and 2013 to more than 150 in 2020 alone. Its harmful effects include “agitation, drowsiness, confusion, sweating, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, slowed or stopped breathing, coma and death,” authorities said.
At least 391 cases of tianeptine exposure were reported to poison control centers in 2023, up from 105 in 2019, a spokesperson for the poison center told CBS News. Most of the cases involved adults who intentionally used products containing tianeptine to get high.
New Jersey has confirmed two poisoning incidents involving tianeptine, which was “falsely sold at online gas stations as a dietary supplement,” the state's health department warned in November. It also warned of “serious health complications and even death” from its use.
In October, authorities learned of 10 additional cases of tianeptine poisoning in New Jersey, attributing products such as Neptune's Fix, Neptune's Fix Elixir, and Pegasus Silver, among others.
More than half of the affected patients experienced central nervous system (CNS) depression and seizures after ingesting the drug, with some requiring hospitalization and intubation, according to the state advisory. Others went to the hospital complaining of slurred speech, altered mental status, agitation, chest discomfort, tachycardia (fast heart rate), tremors, hallucinations, urinary retention, vomiting and fatigue.
Representatives from Neptune's Fix say serious injuries caused by using their product are likely due to counterfeit products made by a New York-based rival that the company claims are laced with cannabinoids and other substances. He said he doubts that.
“We had a hard time convincing the FDA to shift its attention to counterfeiters,” the official said in a message to CBS News.
An FDA spokesperson declined several requests for comment.
Earlier this month, five members of Congress urged FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to take further steps to curb the use of tianeptine, noting that the agency first warned about the drug in 2018. . The agency said it has received multiple reports of serious medical injuries related to Neptune's Fix at gas stations and convenience stores. In January, it asked stores to stop selling the brand and other products containing tianeptine.
Several states have also taken steps to ban tianeptine products to curb dependence on what the FDA describes as illegally sold and unapproved drugs.
—From a report by Alexander Ting of CBS News
