Deceased
Derek William Arnold
Demographics
51y, male
Date of death
2019-01-07
Finding date
2020-06-12
Cause of death
acute methadone toxicity
AI-generated summary
A 51-year-old man died from acute methadone toxicity with a blood level of 2.5 mg/L (within fatal range). He was prescribed methadone tablets by his GP for chronic pain management since at least March 2014. Investigation revealed 35 breaches of the Poisons Act 1971 by the prescribing GP, predominantly (23 cases) involving prescription supplies where prior authorities had expired without renewal. The coroner could not determine if the overdose was deliberate or accidental. Key clinical lesson: strict adherence to methadone regulatory requirements is essential, as non-compliance carries serious risk of fatal toxicity. Prescribers must ensure prior authorities are renewed before expiry and maintain meticulous compliance with legislation governing this potent opioid.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
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