Death toll continues to rise in Alberta

Latest statistics suggest Alberta will see nearly 550 fentanyl-tied deaths this year

Fentanyl-related overdoses killed 400 Albertans in the first nine months of the year, according to new statistics on the opioid crisis that also revealed a disturbing rise in the emergence of highly toxic carfentanil.

The numbers, released Monday in Alberta Health’s latest quarterly report, show the province has avoided any major spikes in fentanyl fatalities this year, but has also failed to stop the death toll from climbing.

At the current pace, Alberta is set to record close to 550 fentanyl-related deaths by the end of the year.

“The numbers point to the severity of the crisis and shows us there is more work to be done to help make sure we are able to save more lives,” associate health minister Brandy Payne told reporters Monday at the legislature.

The new statistics show 143 fentanyl deaths occurred in the Juneto-September period this year, including 68 from the Calgary zone and 39 from the Edmonton region.

That makes it the deadliest quarter to date, up from the 131 deaths recorded in 2017’s second quarter and the 126 deaths in the year’s first three months. It’s also well above the June-to-September period in 2016, when Alberta had 87 fatal fentanyl overdoses.

Carfentanil, an opioid that is up to 100 times more toxic than fentanyl, has been detected in nearly a quarter of the fentanyl-related overdoses this year — including 44 cases in the third-quarter alone.

In 2016, carfentanil was detected in just 29 cases the entire year.

Payne said she believes her government’s actions to confront the crisis have helped slow the growth of deaths this year. She specifically noted efforts to distribute more take-home naloxone kits, increase treatment spaces and expand access to opioid replacement drugs suboxone and methadone.

The new report shows a 358 per cent increase through the first nine months of the year in the rate of Albertans who were dispensed suboxone from community pharmacies. As for methadone, the rate increased 53 per cent.

Payne said the province is now working to train more primary care clinics to deliver the treatment.

She also mentioned efforts to get doctors to rein in their opioid prescribing and the approvals of six supervised drug consumption sites in Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge touted to save lives.

She said the government will have more announcements on additional measures in the coming weeks.

Liberal MLA David Swann blasted the government for an overly “reactive” and “piecemeal” approach to the problem, calling for the province to appoint a chief addictions and mental health officer and to call a state of emergency.

“I hope they become more aggressive, because we do have to become more aggressive,” added UCP health critic Tany Yao, though he provided no details on what those efforts should be.