Opioid overdoses following use of cocaine and methamphetamine in New South Wales, and the public health responses

IF 1.7 4区医学 Q2 EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Emergency Medicine Australasia Pub Date : 2025-04-03 DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.70038

Peter Chisholm MBBS, B Med Sc, MPH, Jared Brown BPharm, MPH, Thanjira Jiranantakan MD, MPH, FAFPHM, FACOEM, Mary Ellen Harrod PhD, Catherine McDonald BSc, Una Cullinan BSc, Darren M Roberts MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FAChAM

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Recent years have seen sporadic reports in Australia of stimulants being contaminated with opioids. Since late 2023, there has been an increase in opioid overdoses among individuals in New South Wales (NSW) using substances believed to be cocaine or methamphetamine. We analysed the frequency and characteristics of these cases and describe our public health responses.

Methods

The Prescription, Recreational & Illicit Substance Evaluation (PRISE), operated by NSW health since July 2018, is a statewide surveillance, epidemiology, and toxicity response programme. We did a retrospective analysis of each case of opioid toxicity following use of cocaine or methamphetamine submitted to the PRISE programme from January 2022 to June 2024, categorising cases into confirmed, probable, and suspected.

Results

Thirty-four cases were found, 19 involving cocaine and 15 involving methamphetamine. Twenty-two (65%) were classified as confirmed, and 12 (35%) as probable. There were two deaths (6%). Twenty-three cases (68%) were in Sydney. Multiple stakeholders reviewed trends and formulated public health responses, leading to the distribution of public drug warnings and media releases in November 2023 and February 2024 because of ongoing case detections.

Conclusions

The increase in detections, which continued in the months following the public health responses, underscores the need for comprehensive surveillance, response, monitoring, and reporting of this phenomenon in NSW. Engagement with clinicians and the community is essential for the success of this programme.

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来源期刊

Emergency Medicine Australasia 医学-急救医学

CiteScore

3.70

自引率

13.00%

发文量

217

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Emergency Medicine Australasia is the official journal of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine (ASEM), and publishes original articles dealing with all aspects of clinical practice, research, education and experiences in emergency medicine. Original articles are published under the following sections: Original Research, Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Disaster Medicine, Education and Training, Ethics, International Emergency Medicine, Management and Quality, Medicolegal Matters, Prehospital Care, Public Health, Rural and Remote Care, Technology, Toxicology and Trauma. Accepted papers become the copyright of the journal.