The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:"As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:""a) How many death certificates mentioned the word ketamine in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260410)""b) How many death certificates included drug misuse or abuse in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260411)""The tables attached provide the number of deaths where a) the underlying cause was drug poisoning and ketamine was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate (table 1), b) the underlying cause was drug poisoning, where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate (table 2), in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available)." Table 1. Number of deaths attributed to drug poisoning¹ where ketamine was mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales,² 2003 to 2007³ Deaths 2003 3 2004 1 2005 0 2006 2 2007 6 ¹ Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the box below) and where ketamine was mentioned on the death certificate. ² Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. ³ Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Table 2. Number of deaths from drug misuse,¹ England and Wales,² 1997 to 2007³ Deaths 2003 1,432 2004 1,495 2005 1,608 2006 1,573 2007 1,604 ¹ Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the box below) and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. ² Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. ³ Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. ICD-10 Description F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent