Supplements declared an Opioid by FDA

Supplements are a common item to find in pharmacies, health food shops and even grocery stores. These are often just simple multi vitamins, culturally used plant extracts and even fairy tales that have been believed.

This lack of harm in the past has meant that very little enforcement has been done to keep the market honest. This has led to an explosion of producers of dubious quality and ethics. The opioid supplements in question are an example of this.

There are 2 particular examples.

The first is a medicine used in other countries (but not approved in the USA) that has found its way into American supplements. That is right the supplements are being spiked (read contaminated) with a real medicine. This has led other supplements to be pulled from the market in the past. In this case it is worse. The drug in question is the equivalent of an opioid and acts just like it. A highly addictive, easily abused and strictly controlled medication.

The second is slightly different. It is a opioid like supplement heavily advertised as a replacement for opioids that are prescribed. It is variable in quality and concentration. For this reason it can lead to some serious side effects with the worst being death. Another example of highly addictive, easily abused and strictly controlled medication.

This poor market regulation and ability to sell many products of uncertain providence has led to the FDA stepping into begin clearing the trash. They have begun by noting and limiting the availability of obviously and immediately harmful supplements like the two mentioned in this video.

Over the last 12 months the FDA has been handing out notices to supplement companies like Oprah Winfrey on a gift spree.

Relevant links:

FDA warns marketers of products labeled as dietary supplements that contain tianeptine for making unproven claims to treat serious conditions, including opioid use disorder
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-warns-marketers-products-labele..