New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6th dist.) spoke out on Thursday over health concerns associated with the drug dietary supplement, tianeptine, which his office called 'gas station heroin.'
On Thursday morning, Pallone was joined by health officials to issue, what his office said was a "call to action," over health risks tied to the ingestion of the dietary supplement, tianeptine, which is often sold under the label, "Neptune's Fix."
"We want people to stop taking it. We want stores to stop selling it and, we want people to be aware of how dangerous it is," he said on Thursday.
He noted that tianeptine is not approved by the FDA and he has seen an increase in reported poisonings of this unapproved drug.
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"Now, it may not be an epidemic, but it has the potential to become an epidemic," he said.
In a statement on the upcoming event, Pallone's office noted that, according to information from poison control centers, there were 391 cases of tianeptine poisoning reported nationwide last year, including 27 in New Jersey.
During the morning, Dr. Diane Calello, executive medical director for the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, said that, in about June of last year, her office began seeing an increase in exposures to tianeptine.
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"Then, what proceeded to happen was, we kept getting more and more of these exposures," she said.
Six patients in June of last year, she said, has risen to 40 since then.
She said the product is touted, "in a vague way" as providing a variety of effects, like helping ease pain, treating depression and, because there's a weak opioid effect in tianeptine, it can be taken by people who have opioid abuse disorder or addiction.
Her office has seen people poisoned by the drug to exhibit agitation, delirium, seizures and cardiac arrest.
"Some patients have died," said Calello.
During the morning, Pallone said that he's calling on federal agencies and trade associations to do what they can "to get rid of this stuff."
Officials said the product can be found in gas stations and convenience stores throughout the state and it is also widely available online.
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