Health officials have issued a warning regarding an opioid that has been found to be tainted in medications that could result in an unanticipated overdose or death in New South Wales.
NSW Health has issued a warning about drugs “in a yellow power form” coming from the Central Coast because it thinks the drug may be connected to several recent deaths that are being looked into.
Drugs containing a strong opioid, such as isotonitazene, can result in an unanticipated and severe overdose or death, according to Darren Roberts, MD, medical director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre.
Nitazenes, he noted, “can be as strong as or stronger than fentanyl and may affect breathing more so than other opioids.”
People need to be aware of the warning indicators.