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Story summary
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) issued an advisory that medetomidine is increasingly detected in the illegal drug supply, especially fentanyl.
- Detections rose from 247 cases in 2023 to over 8,200 in 2025, signaling a dramatic rise.
- Medetomidine complicates overdose response because naloxone does not counteract its sedative effects, and withdrawal can be severe, requiring intensive care.
