New drug hits red-light district
-A A +AMonday, October 22, 2012
NO DOCTOR should prescribe Ashtec-10 as it is not a regulated drug and is not registered in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 7, according to the Department of Health (DOH) 7.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 lamented that a new form of drug called Ashtec-10 is being used among drug users and is rampant in Barangay Kamagayan, Cebu City.
DOH 7 Director Dr. Asuncion Anden said Ashtec-10 is not a registered or regulated drug in the FDA, which means that there are no physicians who can prescribe it.
“Since it is not registered this means that Ashtec is considered an illegal drug,” said Anden.
She said the Ashtec-10 works just like Nubain.
“Just like Nubain, which is a painkiller, Ashtec may work exactly the same as it has the same generic name,” explained Anden.
She said Nubain or nalbuphine hydrochloride is used in surgeries, but if the Ashtec-10 has the same component as Nubain, it may also have similar effects.
“The components of the Ashtec-10 should be carefully studied. I still have not seen one,” added Anden.
She said Ashtec-10 may kill users due to drug overdose.
Circulation
Jigger Montillana of PDEA 7 said they are monitoring the drug’s circulation.
PDEA 7, in an advisory, said there is no pharmacy or importer that distributes Ashtec-10.
The drug agency revealed that those who use Ashtec-10 tend to get sleepy and relaxed.
According to reports, Ashtec-10 reportedly costs from P250 to P300 per vial.
Montillana said they already received reports about the drug since 2011, but PDEA 7 has not yet caught any users in the act of using it.
However, they were able to confiscate ampules of Ashtec-10 last 2011 from a woman in Talisay City.
He said they will still have to investigate as reports said there is already a local supplier in Manila.
He said Ashtec-10 reportedly came from Pakistan or India, but he could not confirm the legality of the drug in the said countries.
Milkshake
Aside from Ashtec-10, another substance formulated through Nubain was the “milkshake.”
Milkshake is a combination of the powerful painkiller Nubain mixed with pulverized shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride).
Since 2011, nubain was considered an illegal drug by the Dangerous Drug Board.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 22, 2012.
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