2015 to 2023 Saw Increase in Pediatric Nonfatal Fentanyl Exposures

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 17, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 17, 2025 -- From 2015 to 2023, there was an increase in the number of pediatric nonfatal fentanyl exposures reported to poison centers, according to a study published online March 7 in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Joseph J. Palamar, M.P.H., Ph.D., from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues conducted a repeated cross-sectional study to examine characteristics of pediatric nonfatal fentanyl exposures reported to poison centers in 49 states from 2015 to 2023. The authors further examined the association of these characteristics with major outcomes.

A total of 3,009 nonfatal pediatric exposures were reported to poison centers: 58.9 and 41.1 percent among those aged 13 to 19 and 0 to 12, respectively. The researchers found that from 2015 to 2023, there was an increase in the number of exposures from 69 to 893 (1,194.2 percent increase). Exposures increased by 924.3 and 1,506.3 percent among those aged 0 to 12 and 13 to 19, respectively. The most prevalent route of administration was ingestion-only use (76.9 and 54.1 percent in those aged 0 to 12 and 13 to 19, respectively). From 2015 to 2023, the prevalence of ingestion-only use increased from 44.1 to 67.9 percent of exposures. Most patients aged 0 to 12 years were exposed unintentionally (81.7 percent versus 1.0 percent among those aged 13 to 19 years), while most aged 13 to 19 misused or abused fentanyl (65.7 versus 1.8 percent). Forty-one percent of exposures resulted in a major (life-threatening) event.

"Parents and others, too, need to be careful to not leave fentanyl, whether licit or illicit, out in the open around unsupervised children," Palamar said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-03-18 06:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords