Counterfeit Pills Fuel Rising Number of Fatal Drug Overdoses
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Sept. 1, 2023 -- A growing number of overdose deaths in the United States involve counterfeit pills, health officials reported Thursday.
Overdose deaths involving counterfeit pills were twice as common in the latter half of 2021 as they were in the last six months of 2019, accounting for about 5% of overdose deaths, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Western states, those rates tripled during the same period.
The drugs are made to look like prescription opioids or stimulants to treat ADHD. About 75% were made to look like oxycodone, the researchers said.
Most were transported to this country from Mexico, “infiltrating drug markets in western U.S. states,” the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency said in a public safety alert issued two years ago. The alert warned of fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. In 2021 alone, law enforcement seized more than 9.5 million pills, a steep increase.
In the latest study, about two out of five overdose deaths were caused by illicitly manufactured fentanyl. The drug was found in nearly all overdose deaths that contained evidence of counterfeit pills. Methamphetamine was also found in about 25% of deaths involving counterfeit pills. Other drugs, such as cocaine and benzodiazepines, were found in one in eight cases.
While deaths from these pills were more common in the West, Hispanic people and those younger than 35 were more at risk.
The findings were published Sept. 1 in the CDC publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Fentanyl test strips and similar products can help identify pills' contents, while the overdose antidote naloxone may also help save lives.
People should only use pills prescribed to them and received from a pharmacy or healthcare provider.
Sources
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Sept. 1, 2023
- CNN
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2023
Read this next
U.S. Justice Department Moves to Reclassify Weed as Less Risky Drug
FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 -- The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, setting the stage for a significant shift in the nation's...
U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Decline for First Time in 7 Years
WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- The relentless rise in deaths from drug overdose in the United States may finally have stalled: New data from 2023 show the first decline in such deaths...
San Francisco Set to Ban 'Forever Chemicals' in Firefighter Gear
TUESDAY, May 14, 2024 -- San Francisco is on the verge of passing a ban on "forever chemicals" in the protective clothing firefighters wear while battling blazes. City lawmakers...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.
