HC Deb 06 December 1989 vol 163 cc282-4W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of(a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs containing paracetemol.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 4 December 1989]: The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the table.

Number of deaths from poisoning by drugs containing paracetamol which were (a) suicides, (b) undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted, and (c) accidenal, in England and Wales, 1977–87
Deaths
Year (a) Suicide (b) Undetermined (c) Accident
1977 92 41 32
1978 127 45 36
1979 126 33 30
1980 109 37 26
1 1981 n.a. n.a. n.a.
1982 105 40 33
1983 117 40 27
1984 118 55 25
1985 138 54 32
1986 138 68 31
1987 116 87 35
1 Not available due to industrial action by registration officers.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of(a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs available (i) on prescription and (ii) over the counter to the general public.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 4 December 1989]: The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the tables.

Deaths from drug1 poisoning: suicidal, accidental and undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted, England and Wales, 1979–88.
Table (a) E9502: Suicide and self-inflicted injury by solid or liquid substances.
Year Deaths
1979 1,525
1980 1,479
1981 1,416
1982 1,286
1983 1,219
1984 1,099
1985 1,031
1986 1,011
1987 902
1988 913

E950.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics

E950.1 Barbiturates

E950.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics

E950.3 Tranquillizers and other psychotropic agents

E950.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments

E950.5 Other drug or medicament

Table (b) E850—E8581: Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals
Year Deaths
1979 436
1980 427
1981 423
1982 445
1983 376
1984 375
1985 309
1986 319
1987 342
1988 327

E850 Accidental poisoning by analgesics, antipyretics, antirheumatics

E851 Accidental poisoning by barbiturates

E850 Accidental poisoning by other sedatives and hypnotics

E853 Accidental poisoning by tranquillizers

E854 Accidental poisoning by other psychotropic agents

E855 Accidental poisoning by other drugs acting on central and autonomic nervous systems

E856 Accidental poisoning by antibiotics

E858 Accidental poisoning by other drugs

Table (c) Poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted E9802
Year Deaths
1979 566
1980 507
1981 435
1982 465
1983 418
1984 441
1985 444
1986 555
1987 564
1988 602
E980.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics.
E980.1 Barbiturates.
E980.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics.
E980.3 Tranquillizers and other pyschotropic agents.
E980.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments.
E980.5 Unspecified drug or medicament.
1 International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision.
2 All categories (except that relating to barbiturates) include some drugs available only on prescription and others available over the counter to the general public.

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