Veterinary tranquilizer medetomidine leaves patients severely sedated and harder to treat for withdrawal

A brief research report explored patient experiences with the clinical effects of medetomidine, a veterinary sedative that has increasingly contaminated the illicit fentanyl supply, and its impact on treatment outcomes. Interviews with people exposed to the drug suggest that medetomidine can create medical complications and withdrawal symptoms that differ from those associated with opioids, raising new concerns for clinicians and public health officials.

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