Published 8 September 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b3673
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3673

News

Concerns mount over misuse of anaesthetic propofol among US health professionals

Fred Charatan

1 Florida

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Pressure is mounting in the United States for tighter curbs on access to the anaesthetic propofol, amid fears that a growing number of healthcare professionals are becoming addicted to it.

The drug has been implicated in the death of singer Michael Jackson, who died in June, after the Los Angeles coroner’s office said that "lethal levels" had been found in the singer’s body. Propofol, which has been licensed for use since 1986, is given intravenously to induce brief anaesthesia and is not generally available outside hospitals and clinics.

In July the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists warned that "abuse of the drug is becoming more common among anesthesia professionals and other health care providers who have easy access to it" (www.aana.com/News.aspx?ucNavMenu_TSMenuTargetID=62&ucNavMenu_TSMenuTargetType=4&ucNavMenu_TSMenuID=6&id=22278). The association recommends that healthcare facilities keep propofol in a secure environment to reduce the risk of its diversion and misuse by providers.

A survey carried out . . . [Full text of this article]


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Addiction in Physicians and Nurses
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bmj.com, 18 Sep 2009 [Full text]
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