Animal Tranquilizer Found in Increasing Number of Screenings

The animal tranquilizer xylazine has been found in an increasing number of screenings conducted by the healthcare lab Aegis Science Corporation, according to a new study published by the healthcare testing lab based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Findings from the lab’s study were published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.

Aegis received patient samples from 39 states. Samples were collected from healthcare patients between the ages of 20 and 73 between April 2021 and March 2022. While xylazine was previously considered a substance used primarily in the Northeast, the lab found its presence has become more widespread across the country, with xylazine appearing in samples from 25 states.

Of the samples that tested positive for xylazine, 96% also tested positive for fentanyl. Aegis noted in a news release announcing its findings that xylazine poses a unique challenge in that naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication, has demonstrated limited or no effects in reversing the animal tranquilizer.

“This is an increasing problem across the country, and it requires testing to educate medical providers and communities and to address with patients,” said Andrew Holt, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist with Aegis, said in a news release announcing the findings. “By identifying xylazine use with these patients, providers have the chance to look for early signs of tissue infection or other symptoms and care for their patients’ overall health.”

Learn more about xylazine's emerging role in the nation's illicit drug supply and how it is making overdoses more difficult to manage at the upcoming Rx and Illicit Drug Summit. Session information | Register now

Reference

Aegis Sciences Corporation study shows widespread distribution of Xylazine. News release. Aegis Science Corporation. January 30, 2023. Accessed January 30, 2023.