Dr. Alex Krotulski: Cychlorphine dangers
SciLine interviews experts and then makes the video and other resources rapidly available for TV newsrooms to use on air.
What is Experts on Camera?
A new synthetic opioid called cychlorphine has already been identified as the cause of overdose deaths, with experts calling it more dangerous than fentanyl. On July 9, 2026, SciLine interviewed Dr. Alex Krotulski, the director of toxicology and chemistry at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), program manager for NPS Discovery, and program director of the Master of Science in Forensic Toxicology at Thomas Jefferson University.
TV bundle includes:
- Soundbite (SOT)
- VOSOT script (can be used as-is or modified)
- Downloadable graphic
- Raw, full-length interview video & log with timecodes (upon request via form below)
These resources are free to use. No attribution to SciLine is required.
Soundbite (SOT) and pronouncer
Downloadable video of the soundbite
High definition (mp4, 1280x720)
- Click for VOSOT script (can be used as-is or modified)
-
ANCHOR
CYCHLORPHINE… A NEW SYNTHETIC OPIOID… IS NOW LINKED TO MORE THAN 130-OVERDOSE DEATHS ACROSS THE COUNTRY… WITH EXPERTS CALLING IT MORE DEADLY THAN FENTANYL.VO
DOCTOR ALEX KROTULSKI IS DIRECTOR OF TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY AT THE CENTER FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION… A NONPROFIT LAB THAT TRACKS NEW DRUGS.
HE SAYS CYCHLORPHINE IS ESTIMATED TO BE TEN TIMES STRONGER THAN FENTANYL…(GFX: MAP)
AND HIS LAB HAS LINKED IT TO MORE THAN 130-OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE PAST YEAR IN NEARLY 20-STATES… WITH TENNESSEE… TEXAS… AND ILLINOIS SEEING THE MOST CASES.
HE SAYS THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS LIKELY HIGHER… BECAUSE MANY LABS AREN’T YET TESTING FOR IT.SOT
Duration: :27
Super: Dr. Alex Krotulski – Director, CFSRE
“So each sort of region, every public health department and health department in different states, is kind of doing their own part. There’s been a lot of great, again, communication about the substance and about the fact that the substance exists. Again, it’s just a challenge of knowing exactly when it’s going to pop up and where it’s gonna pop up. And that’s something that the public health departments really have to track through drug testing. And again, many are doing that very well, but again, just really never know when it is going to pop up.”VO
DOCTOR KROTULSKI SAYS CYCHLORPHINE IS SHOWING UP IN PILL AND POWDER FORM… SOMETIMES MIXED WITH FENTANYL OR HEROIN.
UNLIKE FENTANYL… THERE ARE NO TEST STRIPS THAT CAN DETECT IT.
BUT IF SOMEONE OVERDOSES… HE SAYS NARCAN CAN STILL WORK… BUT THEY MAY NEED MULTIPLE DOSES TO REVERSE IT.
Graphic: Cychlorphine overdose deaths
Download a graphic illustrating cychlorphine overdose deaths for newscasts and web stories.
.ZIP file contains high-res graphic in multiple formats.
Raw, full-length interview covers:
- What cychlorphine is, and why experts say it may be up to ten times stronger than fentanyl;
- How people may be unknowingly exposed when it’s mixed with other illicit drugs;
- Why standard fentanyl test strips don’t detect the substance;
- Why reversing an overdose may require multiple doses of Narcan; and
- How public health departments and first responders are working to address this emerging threat locally and nationally.
