Knox Forensic Center Links 63 Deaths to Cychlorphine, Surpassing April US Toll of 55
Updated
Updated · Medical Daily · Sep 10
Knox Forensic Center Links 63 Deaths to Cychlorphine, Surpassing April US Toll of 55
1 articles · Updated · Medical Daily · Sep 10
Summary
Fifty-eight of the 63 East Tennessee deaths tied to Cychlorphine were ruled caused by the drug, according to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center’s count through June 30.
The regional tally already exceeds the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s April notice of at least 55 deaths nationwide, suggesting the national total is likely understated.
Standard hospital and many medical-examiner drug screens often miss cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid found in counterfeit pills, so overdoses can test negative for opiates and fentanyl without advanced testing.
Naloxone still works against cychlorphine overdoses, though multiple doses may be needed; toxicologists say the immediate goal is restoring breathing, not waiting for full alertness.
The center serves 23 East Tennessee counties, and officials say its cluster may reflect stronger surveillance as much as a uniquely severe local outbreak.