THE MINISTRY of Health is warning the public about a fake batch of Oxycontin 80mg that could be dangerous to health.

In a media release on Tuesday, the ministry stated that they received a warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding a counterfeit version of the opioid-based medication Oxycontin (oxycodone hydrochloride), which is a drug typically prescribed for moderate to severe pain.

According to WHO, “the falsified product was detected in the unregulated market in Switzerland and reported to WHO by the genuine manufacturer Mundipharma… that testing done by the Drug Information Centre of the City of Zurich, Switzerland, determined that the tablets did not contain oxycodone, but a synthetic opioid likely to be a nitazene compound…These substances can be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk.”

The Ministry of Health has outlined visual indicators to help identify the falsified version.

As following:

   1. The placement on the falsified product of the batch number and expiry date are printed on the front of the blister pack.

 2. On the falsified product the expiry date is on the left and the batch number is on the right.

   3. Genuine Oxycontin has the batch number on the left and expiry date on the right while both is visible on the back.

Though this specific product is not registered for use in Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry is urging the public to discontinue use immediately if they are in possession of the drug.