Unregulated drugs (UDs), sometimes referred to as ‘street drugs’, ‘illicit drugs ‘or ‘non-prescribed drugs’, are substances produced and/or distributed outside of the regulatory system. UDs include drugs from clandestine laboratories and diverted prescription medications that are sold illegally. UD poisoning is a major public health concern. While fentanyl has received the most attention due to its lethality, the unregulated drug supply (UDS) includes many other toxic substances. The clinical effects of many of these drugs are poorly understood.
To address this critical gap, we will study patients treated in a hospital for UD toxicity. This study will enrol patients from six BC hospitals, document clinical findings and analyze blood samples to identify which drugs they were exposed to. The objectives of this study include:
1) Report the prevalence of common drugs and drug combinations in patients with unregulated drug toxicity; 2) Identify emerging drugs using untargeted metabolomics; 3) Describe the clinical effects of all detected drugs; and 4) Identify individual drugs and drug combinations associated with severe toxicity. This study complements current UDS surveillance by providing the clinical context that healthcare providers require for optimal patient management, while also giving people who use drugs knowledge to reduce their risks.