FDA warns addictive gas station heroin supplement widely available in U.S.
Ali Rogin:
The FDA is asking Americans not to purchase or use any products from the supplemental brand Neptune's Fix. It contains a substance called tianeptine.
Some countries have approved the drug to treat depression and anxiety. It's unapproved in the U.S., but readily available on store shelves and online. It's been nicknamed gas station heroin, and it can be highly addictive. An uptick in use has led the FDA to issue several warnings about tianeptine and its potential side effects, including seizures, loss of consciousness and death.
Dr. Pieter Cohen is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and joins me now.
Thank you so much, Dr. Cohen.
Can you explain exactly what tianeptine is?
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