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An alarming discovery has been made in England and Wales regarding opioid-related deaths. According to research conducted by King’s College London and shared exclusively with BBC News, more than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths were omitted from official statistics between 2011 and 2022. This oversight has raised concerns about the government’s ability to effectively address the issue of addiction.
The error in reporting is attributed to the government’s official statistics body lacking access to vital post-mortem reports and toxicology results. As a result, the true scope of the opioid crisis has been underestimated by over 50%. This data is crucial for shaping policy decisions, and the government is now cooperating with coroners to enhance the accuracy of mortality reporting.
The research from King’s College London revealed that the number of opioid deaths per million people in England and Wales has nearly doubled since 2012. Notably, opioids encompass substances like heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. The Liberal Democrats have called for an urgent investigation into the error, emphasizing the importance of accurate data for informing public health policies.
One heartbreaking story brought to light by this research is that of Hilary and her son Ben. Ben tragically lost his life to a heroin overdose in 2018, but his death was never officially recorded as an opioid fatality. His journey with addiction underscores the urgent need for improved treatment and support services for individuals struggling with substance abuse. Dr. Caroline Copeland, who led the research, emphasized that accurate data is crucial for effective policymaking and funding allocation in the realm of public health
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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