Identifying the Blue A 17 Pill and Avoiding Counterfeits

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Identifying the Blue A 17 Pill and Avoiding Counterfeits

By Your Health Magazine Health Information Team

A blue, capsule-shaped pill marked “A” on one side and “1 | 7” on the other is identified in current U.S. drug labeling as sertraline hydrochloride 50 mg, not Xanax. The line between the 1 and 7 is a score mark, which is why people often search for it as an “A 17 pill.” Because counterfeit pills can copy legitimate markings, do not take an unidentified tablet based only on its appearance.

What Is the Blue A 17 Pill?

The official DailyMed sertraline label describes the 50 mg tablet as blue, biconvex, capsule-shaped and film-coated. It has an “A” on one side, with a score line between “1” and “7” on the other.

This identification applies only when the color, shape and markings all match. A pill marked “A 17” in a different shape, with the characters arranged differently or without the score line may be another product. A pharmacist should examine any pill that does not exactly match its labeled description.

Is the A 17 Pill Blue Xanax?

No. The blue A/1|7 tablet described above contains sertraline, an antidepressant. Xanax is a brand name for alprazolam, a benzodiazepine. Although both medicines may be prescribed for certain anxiety-related conditions, they work differently and are not interchangeable.

Current brand-name 1 mg Xanax tablets are blue, oval and marked “XANAX 1.0.” Generic alprazolam tablets may have other appearances and imprints depending on the manufacturer, so color alone cannot identify them.

What to Know About Sertraline

Sertraline changes serotonin signaling in the brain and is used to treat several mental health conditions. Common side effects may include nausea, diarrhea, sleep changes, dizziness, sweating, tiredness and sexual side effects. The National Library of Medicine provides additional consumer resources through its MedlinePlus drug information collection.

Antidepressants carry an important warning about increased suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers and young adults, particularly early in treatment or after a dosage change. New or worsening depression, agitation, unusual behavior or thoughts of self-harm require prompt medical attention.

Sertraline can also interact with other medications and supplements. Do not begin taking it because a pill appears to match an online description. If sertraline was prescribed to you, take it only according to your prescription and consult the prescriber before stopping or changing it. Abrupt discontinuation may cause uncomfortable withdrawal-like symptoms.

How to Check Whether a Pill Is Legitimate

Visual identification can suggest what a legitimate tablet is supposed to be, but it cannot prove what is inside. Counterfeiters can reproduce a pill’s color, shape and imprint. The FDA’s counterfeit medicine guidance advises consumers to obtain prescription medications through state-licensed pharmacies.

1. Check the source. A medication prescribed by a licensed clinician and filled by a licensed U.S. pharmacy is far safer than a pill purchased through social media, an unverified website, a street seller or another individual.
2. Compare the entire description. Review the imprint on both sides, color, shape, score marks and size. Compare these details with the description on the pharmacy label.
3. Examine the container. Look for your name, medication name, strength, pharmacy information, prescription number and clear labeling. Loose pills in an unmarked bag cannot be authenticated visually.
4. Notice unexpected changes. A different appearance does not automatically indicate a counterfeit because pharmacies may change generic manufacturers. However, ask the dispensing pharmacist to confirm the change before taking it.
5. Do not use taste as a test. Tasting, crushing or breaking an unknown tablet cannot reliably identify its contents and may expose you to a dangerous substance.

Why Counterfeit “Xanax” Is Especially Dangerous

Illicit tablets sold as Xanax may contain fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, unapproved benzodiazepines or unpredictable combinations of substances. According to the CDC’s fentanyl safety information, illegally manufactured fentanyl is increasingly pressed into pills made to resemble alprazolam and other prescription medications.

A copied imprint, professional-looking tablet or familiar seller does not establish safety. The most reliable way to avoid counterfeit medication is to use only medicine prescribed for you and dispensed directly by a licensed pharmacy.

If someone has taken an unknown pill, do not attempt to “flush it out” with water, food or electrolyte drinks. These measures do not reverse poisoning. For ordinary hydration needs unrelated to an overdose, readers can learn about electrolyte options for people avoiding sugar.

When to Seek Care

Call 911 immediately if a person who took an unknown pill is difficult to wake, has slow or stopped breathing, makes choking or gurgling sounds, has blue or gray lips, experiences a seizure or collapses. If opioid exposure is possible, administer naloxone if it is available and you know how to use it, but do not delay emergency care.

For a possible medication error or unknown-pill exposure without life-threatening symptoms, contact Poison Control in the United States at 1-800-222-1222. Keep the pill, container and packaging available so the pharmacist, poison specialist or emergency clinician can examine the exact markings and source.

Bottom line: A blue capsule-shaped tablet with “A” and “1 | 7” markings is generally sertraline 50 mg, not Xanax. Confirm it against the original prescription container or with a pharmacist before taking it, especially if it did not come directly from a licensed pharmacy.