Fentanyl Exposure in the News
The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT) released a Position Statement and press release in 2017 outlining the low risk of passive fentanyl exposure for emergency workers along with recommendations.
The topic of passive fentanyl exposure by emergency responders continues to make headlines and our Communications Task Force receives frequent requests for expert knowledge by Medical Toxicologists.
List of current articles on the topic that quote ACMT Leadership or discuss our Position Statement:
- Can Touching Fentanyl Really Kill You? Live Science, May 2019
- 'Fear, Loathing and Fentanyl Exposure' an April 2019 New York Times editorial references ACMT's position, "In 2017, the nation’s two leading toxicological societies published a joint statement explaining that for emergency medical workers, the risk of accidental opioid ingestion is “extremely low.” Gloves almost always provide enough protection; masks are necessary only in exceptional cases."
- 'Cops say touching fentanyl is making them sick. Doctors say it's impossible.' Detroit Free Press, April 2019
- 'Debunking the Myth in Milwaukee: Can People Overdose by Touching Fentanyl' Digital Journal, April 2019
- 'A dangerous fentanyl myth lives on' Columbia Journalism Review, April 2019
- 'Touching fentanyl will not cause an overdose' Legal Reader, April 2019
- 'You can't overdose on fentanyl by touching it' Vox, March 2019
- '‘Passive’ fentanyl exposure: more myth than reality' STAT, December 2018 written by ACMT members Lewis Nelson and Jeanmarie Perrone