Identification of Novel Psychoactive Substances (IONA) - (Scotland)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identification and characterization of the clinical toxicology of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) by laboratory analysis of biological samples from recreational drug users (Scotland).
IRAS ID
172425
Contact name
Simon Thomas
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle Joint Research Office
Eudract number
n/a
ISRCTN Number
n/a
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
15.NE.0023, England and Wales REC reference; 168706, England and Wales IRAS number
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Recreational drug use has been common for many years, but a major recent change in epidemiology has been the increasing use of new recreational drugs, sometimes termed Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) or ‘legal highs.’ These substances are numerous and associated with significant acute toxicity including increasing hospital presentations and fatalities. The effects of chronic exposure are usually unknown.
Currently there is no systematic national UK data collection system linking analytically confirmed use of NPS with acute toxicity. This causes a delay before clinicians, public health teams, law enforcement and policy makers can define and mitigate the harms associated with specific NPS. There are typically no published data available on the pharmacology and toxicity of these substances as they emerge into recreational use, leaving healthcare professionals without evidence to guide patient management in the event of toxicity.
This research will help to address this gap by collating information about the acute toxicity of NPS in the UK via four inter-related studies using
(1) Anonymised aggregated data collected by the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS)
(2) Anonymised aggregated data available on positive samples from participating NHS toxicology laboratories
(3) Further laboratory analysis of linked-anonymised samples collected from patients with acute severe toxicity as part of usual clinical care and sent to participating NHS laboratories, where NPS use is suspected.
(4) Collection and analysis of samples from consenting patients presenting to participating emergency departments with toxicity associated with suspected NPS use.
Samples will be subjected to detailed toxicology analysis using state of the art methods, informed by the latest information on the NPS being encountered by clinicians in the UK.
The research will identify trends in enquiries and positive laboratory samples relating to NPS, identify NPS involved in episodes of acute toxicity presenting to UK hospitals and link specific substances with reported features of toxicity.
REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
15/SS/0047
Date of REC Opinion
28 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion