The New York Times Interviews Drs. Daniel del Portal and Brendan Hart as Part of an In-Depth Look at Medetomidine in Philadelphia

The New York Times published a detailed look at the newest drug infiltrating the supply of Philadelphia and spreading throughout the East Coast and Midwest – medetomidine. Medetomidine is a veterinary sedative that causes almost instantaneous blackouts and brings on life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. A person’s heart rate slows drastically right after use, but in withdrawal, heart rate and blood pressure soar, requiring intensive care. The New York Times spoke in depth with Daniel del Portal, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President of Medical Operations and Chief Clinical Officer for Temple Health, and Brendan Hart, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, about how Temple Health is working to address this crisis. Becker’s Hospital Review picked up The New York Times article.