A new drug is showing up in illicit drugs and is being identified in overdose deaths, according to a Thursday release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The MDHHS identified the drug as medetomidine.

Three overdose deaths since March have identified medetomidine during postmortem toxicology testing, according to data provided by the Swift Toxicology of Opioid Related Mortalities (STORM) project at Western Michigan University, Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. In addition to medetomidine, testing also identified fentanyl and other potent manufactured drugs.

The deaths occurred in Ingham, Berrien and Wayne counties.

Medetomidine is similar to xylazine, the MDHHS, that can cause adverse reactions including slowed heart rate, low blood pressure and decreases in brain and spinal cord activity. It is not approved for use in humans.

Like medetomidine, xylazine is approved for use in veterinary medicine, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Xylazine is a tranquilizer, pain reliever and central nervous system depressant, and is often mixed with illicitly manufactured opioids, most frequently fentanyl, but it is not an opioid.

MDHHS is particularly concerned about this drug for the following reasons:

• Medetomidine can cause central nervous system depression and death.

• Like xylazine, medetomidine is not reversed by medications such as naloxone or Narcan.

• Unlike xylazine, testing strips are not yet available to detect this particular drug.

“Medetomidine is considered more potent than xylazine and we want to make sure Michigan residents are aware of this new and dangerous drug showing up in overdose deaths in our state,” Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive, is quoted as saying in the release. “Even though naloxone doesn’t directly reverse the effects of medetomidine or xylazine, these tranquilizers are usually found in combination with opioid drugs like fentanyl, that can be reversed. For this reason, we continue to urge individuals who use drugs and their loved ones to carry naloxone to prevent overdose.”

Medetomidine is the latest depressant to appear as an adulterant alongside fentanyl in the recreational drug supply, stated the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, in a May 20, 2024 report. Recent mass overdose outbreaks in Philadelphia, Chicago and elsewhere have all been associated with fentanyl or heroin drug products containing medetomidine, as well xylazine and/or other substances.