Pill testing will save lives this summer
23 December 2024
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes boosted accessibility of pill testing this summer, with New South Wales joining Victoria and the ACT in offering pill testing services.
PSA supports drug checking as a method of harm reduction and broadly supports the availability of drug checking services at events like music festivals and at fixed sites.
A 2023 evaluation of ACT drug checking service CanTEST revealed only 53% of substances tested matched the expected drug. For those where an additional drug, a different drug or an inconclusive result was found, one-third reported that they ‘definitely will not’ use the drug.1
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said PSA has long advocated for expanded drug checking services, with harm minimisation being an essential principle of Australia’s National Drug Strategy since 1985.
“Having drug checking services available is key to reducing the harm of illicit substances,” Associate Professor Sim said.
“Drug checking or pill testing is not about telling consumers ‘this substance is safe’, but about allowing them to make an informed decision about the risks of the substances they have.
“Every summer we see young people lose their lives at events around the country because they didn’t know what was in the drugs they were taking.
“The evidence is overwhelming – pill testing and drug checking saves lives.
“But importantly it is also an opportunity for a health professional to provide tailored support and information on illicit drug use and harm.
“PSA supports further expansion of drug testing, further investing in trials and research to support evidence-based, informed decisions about pill testing.”
1 Olsen A, Baillie G, Bruno R, McDonald D, Hammoud M, Peacock A (2023). CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service Program Evaluation: Final Report. Australian National University: Canberra, ACT
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
