Avoiding dextropropoxypheneinduced deaths The Committee on Safety of Medicines has reported that overdose with dextropropoxyphene causes > 300 deaths/ year in England and Wales. Although normal therapeutic doses are safe, high doses of combination products such as 'Distalgesic', taken alone or with alcohol, result in respiratory depression which cannot be treated effectively. Thus, while believing the drug should remain on the marke t, the Committee has issued the following guidelines in an effort to reduce the number of dextropropoxyphene·induced deaths: • doctors are asked to minimise the number of tablets prescribed • the drug should not be prescribed to patients likely to abuse them or alcohol • patients should be warned of the danger ot overdose • patients should be told that information leaflets are available from pharmacies. Lancet /: 534 (2 Mar /985)

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