Unapproved antidepressant drug blamed for poison calls

An article on CNN about tianeptine, an unapproved antidepressant drug that is believed to have caused an increase in calls to U.S. poison centers, interviews Raphael Leo, associate professor of psychiatry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who recently published a case study on the drug that noted that blogs advocate use of amounts greater than the recommended daily antidepressant dose in order to achieve “opioid-like effects.” Some people who seek out tianeptine are searching for "a supplement to enhance mood and cognitive function," he said, adding that he does not think all purchasers "necessarily think of it as an opiate." The "nootropic" label "reduces the idea that it's an illegal drug," he said. "And that appeals to some folks."

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https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/03/health/tianeptine-antidepressant-poison-control-cdc-study/index.html