Call for taskforce to focus on barbiturates - used as most common type of intentional overdose

A national taskforce needs to be set up to look at the prescribing of barbiturates as they continue to be used as the most common type of intentional overdose, a conference on suicidology was told.

Cindy O’Shea, regional prisons support officer and member of the Samaritans Ireland Nations Board, said: “In some areas, there is overprescribing of benzodiazapene from primary care and [as a result] they are accessible on the streets.”

Previously, National Suicide Research Foundation director of research Dr Ella Arensman had shown the Irish Association of Suicidology conference research which demonstrated that, since 2004, benzodiazapene is the most common way to intentionally overdose.