CommentaryFentanyls: Are we missing the signs? Highly potent and on the rise in Europe
Section snippets
Key points
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic historically used as a pain reliever and an anaesthetic.
Recent concerns have arisen around the illicit use of fentanyl and its analogues in Europe, linked to their high potency and associated risk of fatal overdose.
The illicit supply of fentanyls onto Europe's drug market includes illicit production, the diversion of medicines, and the online sale of non-controlled new psychoactive substances.
In Europe, Estonia stands out as having an endemic problem,
Fentanyl in Europe
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic acting predominately at the μ-opiate receptor. It has historically been used as a pain reliever and an anaesthetic in both human and veterinary medicine and in terms of analgesic activity it is at least 80 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl was first synthesized by Paul Janssen in 1960 and marketed as a medicinal product for treating pain. Subsequently, many fentanyl analogues were developed including sufentanil, alfentanil, remifentanil, and
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the many contributors to the EMCDDA Trendspotter study and meeting on Fentanyl in Europe which this article in part summarises. This includes the invaluable contributions made by external experts, EMCDDA scientific staff and the Reitox network of National Focal Points.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest.
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