Sharp increase in cases of opioid poisoning in Switzerland
The number of emergency calls for poisoning with these analgesic drugs increased by 177% between 2000 and 2019, indicates a study by the ETHZ.
Fentanyl pills, a powerful opioid. New York, October 8, 2019.
AFP/Don EMMERT
Cases of opioid poisoning and sales of these analgesic drugs have increased significantly in Switzerland over the past twenty years. The number of calls to Tox Info has tripled. This is the result of a study by ETHZ researchers.
“Our study clearly shows that in Switzerland the consumption of opioids is increasing sharply,” said Andrea Burden, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), on Monday. The study was published in the specialist journal “The Lancet Regional Health – Europe”.
“Opioid crisis” in the United States
In North America, the “opioid crisis” has grabbed headlines and sparked widespread political debate. It is estimated that around 108,000 people died from an opioid overdose in 2021 in the United States, up 17% from the previous year.
Until now, there were no figures for Switzerland. This is why researchers at ETHZ have attempted to estimate the trend. They compared the figures for emergency calls to the poisoning information center Tox Info Suisse between the years 2000 and 2019 and the sales figures for opioids.
The number of emergency calls for opioid poisonings increased by 177% over the period under review. At the same time, sales of these painkillers increased by 91%.
Situation to watch
According to the researchers, the consumption of opioids in Switzerland has not reached the epidemic proportions seen in the United States. However, the situation needs to be monitored. To avoid an epidemic, monitoring is necessary.
The largest increases in consumption in Switzerland concern strong opioids, in particular oxycodone, one of the drivers of the opioid crisis in the United States. Sales of this powerful painkiller “increased considerably” between 2009 and 2016 in Switzerland.
The most commonly reported and sold opioid in Switzerland in 2019 was tramadol, a low potency painkiller. Next come oxycodone and fentanyl, two powerful opioids.
“The figures presented in the study are only the tip of the iceberg.”
The study says almost nothing about the illegal use of fentanyl, as cases of serious poisonings are almost never reported to Tox Info. The people concerned contact the emergency service directly. The effect of fentanyl is 50 times greater than that of heroin. This painkiller has a high potential for illegal consumption and fatal overdoses, according to ETHZ researchers.
“The figures presented in the study are only the tip of the iceberg”, according to Andrea Burden. “We absolutely need more data to understand the harms associated with opioid use in Switzerland, including the number of people who have become addicted via medical prescriptions and the number of opioid-related deaths.” A follow-up study is planned.
Posted today at 5:40 p.m.
You found an error?Please let us know.