Dr. Lewis Nelson myth busts alleged fentanyl overdose cases in passive handlers. He explains the nocebo effect, opposite the placebo effect.
It is true that 2 grains of fentanyl can kill, but it have to be 2 grain of pure fentanyl and it has to be consumed. Touching fentanyl does not kill – people who deal drugs as well as healthcare workers touch fentanyl regularly and do not overdose.
“Dose makes the Poison” is the hallmark of medical toxicology.
Lewis S. Nelson, MD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine, Chief of Service of the University Hospital Emergency Department, and Chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, all in Newark, NJ. He is also a Senior Consultant to the New Jersey Poison Information & Education System. He is board certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine. Dr. Nelson is an editor of the medical toxicology textbook Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies and on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals. He is a member of the board of the American Board of Emergency Medicine and several other academic organizations and is Past President of American College of Medical Toxicology. Dr. Nelson serves as a long-standing consultant to CDC, DHS, and FDA. Some of his areas of interest include non-opioid pain relief strategies, opioid overdose and management, addiction and withdrawal management, and health policy focused on issues related to medication safety and substance use.
