What are 'Frankenstein' drugs and why are they dangerous?

'Frankenstein' drugs are synthetic opioids called nitazenes, known for being 500 times stronger than heroin and highly potent, posing a significant overdose risk.

Why might nitazene-related deaths be underestimated in the UK?

Deaths are likely underestimated because post-mortem toxicology tests often fail to detect nitazenes due to their extreme potency and degradation in samples.

What is being done to address the nitazene crisis?

Researchers are working to identify breakdown products of nitazenes to improve detection accuracy, aiming to enhance surveillance and save lives, with naloxone available as an antidote.

Home / Health / Hidden Drug Crisis: 'Frankenstein' Opioids Underestimated

Hidden Drug Crisis: 'Frankenstein' Opioids Underestimated

9 Feb

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Summary

'Frankenstein' drugs are synthetic opioids 500 times stronger than heroin.
Hundreds of deaths may be underestimated by up to a third.
Post-mortem tests often fail to detect these potent synthetic opioids.

Hidden Drug Crisis: 'Frankenstein' Opioids Underestimated

A critical underestimation of deaths linked to potent synthetic opioids, known as nitazenes, is hindering effective public health responses in the UK. These drugs, nicknamed 'Frankenstein' drugs due to their extreme potency, are reportedly 500 times stronger than heroin, with a mere grain capable of causing a fatal overdose. Hundreds of deaths were linked to nitazenes in 2024, but UK researchers warn this figure may be significantly understated.

Research indicates that post-mortem toxicology tests frequently fail to detect nitazenes in blood samples. This is due to their extreme potency and the fact they can degrade into undetectable substances within post-mortem samples. A study simulating real-world pathology conditions found only 14% of the drug remained detectable after a month. This means up to a third of nitazene-related deaths could be going unrecorded, leading to interventions designed for only two-thirds of the actual problem.