13/04/2023
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has taken action to restrict the unlawful entry of xylazine active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage form drug products into the country to address a growing public health concern. The chemical xylazine has increasingly been found in illicit drugs such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other drugs and increasingly detected in overdose deaths.
This action aims to prevent the drug from entering the U.S. market for illicit purposes, while maintaining availability for its legitimate uses in animals.Veterinarians legitimately use drug products containing xylazine to sedate large animals such as horses and deer, but it is not safe for use in people and may cause serious and life-threatening side effects. It has been identified as a contaminant found in combination with opioids such as illicit fentanyl and in combination with other illicit products that contain stimulants such as methamphetamine and co***ne. People who use illicit drugs may not be aware of the presence of xylazine.
While xylazine is not an opioid, it is dangerous because it can depress breathing, blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature to critical levels. Additionally, people who inject drugs containing xylazine can develop severe skin wounds and patches of dead and rotting tissue that easily become infected and, if left untreated, may lead to amputation. These wounds can develop in areas of the body away from the injection site and may become life-threatening. The agency previously communicated to health care providers about the risks to patients exposed to xylazine in illicit drugs.
