CDC warns medetomidine ("rhino tranq") is increasingly detected in illegal fentanyl, with detections jumping sharply and clustering in the Northeast and Midwest.
CDC health advisory warns of increasing reports of medetomidine (“rhino tranq,” “mede,” “dex”) in illegal fentanyl.
Detections rose from 247 in 2023 to 8,233 in 2025, primarily in the Northeast and Midwest.
Medetomidine is a sedative not approved for human use
This finding is one of many signals tracked across Healthcare. The live feed updates every few hours with new expert voices, debates, and emerging ideas.
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