Pregabalin, which is licensed to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain and anxiety, hit the headlines in March 2024 after The Sunday Times reported that it has the fastest-rising death toll of any drug in the UK. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed distinct fragmentation patterns characteristic of each analyte under optimized collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions, validated against reference standards and published fragmentation patterns. The powder samples for raw material were visually investigated which demonstrated irrational results. A noticeable discrepancy was observed between different powder samples in terms of crystal size and shape. Irregular crystal structures were noticed compared to the well-defined structures typically expected for pure PGL. This observation might indicate a lack of homogeneity and potentially confirms poor manufacturing practices.
Pregabalin, gabapentin reclassified as Class C drugs in the UK
Catriona Matheson, professor in substance use at the University of Stirling and former chair of the Scottish government’s Drug Deaths Taskforce, tells The Pharmaceutical Journal that it would be helpful to investigate whether gabapentinoid use across Scotland could be audited. There is concern that the increase in use of pregabalin is in response to decreasing trends in opioid prescribing4. The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed cost of lyrica to the corresponding author.
- Pregabalin was reclassified after a public consultation and advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which was concerned about the risks of “illegal diversion and medicinal misuse”.
- All samples were handled under proper chain-of-custody protocols and stored at room temperature in a dark place to preserve sample integrity for analytical testing.
- The powder samples for raw material were visually investigated which demonstrated irrational results.
- Pregabalin, which is licensed to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain and anxiety, hit the headlines in March 2024 after The Sunday Times reported that it has the fastest-rising death toll of any drug in the UK.
References
Various capsule samples contained mixtures of PGL and codeine, a derivative of morphine that can cause serious respiratory failure. Moreover, results included either low drug amounts intended to mislead consumers or high concentrations beyond expected levels, posing toxicity risks. Overall, the analytical examination revealed poor practices in smuggled pharmaceuticals threatening public health and safety. These current chromatographic methods demonstrated significant performance characteristics for detecting PGL in seized samples and showed reliable quantitative and qualitative analysis. The analytical capabilities allowed simultaneous detection of multiple compounds, including pregabalin, codeine, gabapentin and paracetamol.
