Methadone-related deaths: data from 18 coroners' jurisdictions in England

This paper examines the methadone-related deaths (MRD) among entire cases of inquest on drug-related cases in 18 coroners' jurisdictions in England which were entered on the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths during a six-month period in 1997. In 154 deaths methadone, either prescribed or not prescribed, was reported to be the substance directly implicated in the death of 40 individuals. The MRD between the prescribed and non-prescribed cases were compared in respect to various demographic variables and associated risks. The main findings reported are that the majority of deaths in this sample were in cases where methadone had not been prescribed (72%) and that there was a significant difference in age between the methadone prescribed (median = 22 years) and non-prescribed groups (median = 37 years) (Mann-Whitney U = 57.5, p = 0.01). Also significant differences amongst the two groups in respect of the coroners' verdicts are reported. The authors suggest more stringent controls around the prescription and dispensing of methadone, along with measures to alert the population at risk of the hazards of using methadone in a non-controlled fashion.