MONTREAL – The Quebec coroner’s office has published its report following its investigations into the deaths of 64-year-old Yvon Boucher and 65-year-old Marcel D’Amour.
The two seniors each died following an accidental overdose of dextromethorphan, a substance typically found in over-the-counter cough syrups.
The report, conducted by Dr. Pierre Builmette and Andrée Kronström, links cough syrups containing dextromethorphan to the two deaths.
Yvon Boucher was bipolar and was also taking several subscription medicines, including Prozac. On April 4, 2011, he was diagnosed with bronchitis and prescribed the antibiotic Biaxin for 15 days. The doctor’s note also indicated that Boucher ought to “continue to take syrup.”
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Three days later, Boucher was found dead in his home. Two bottles of commercial cough syrup containing dextromethorphan were also found.
The coroner’s office warns that the combination of Prozac, Biaxin and dextromethorphan is very dangerous and could cause a potentially fatal chemical reaction.
According to the report, there are at least 25 million anti-depressant prescriptions within the same chemical family as Prozac in Canada, Biazin is often prescribed for the treatment of respiratory infections and many cough syrups commonly sold in a pharmacy contain dextromethorphan, including cough and cold medicines for children.
As a result, the coroner’s report warns that the unlimited over-the-counter availability of dextromethorphan represents a danger to public security.
The report recommends that:
• There is a change in the rules around the sale of medicine in Quebec so products that contain dextromethorphan are kept behind the counter and pharmacists can discuss with patients what other drugs they may be taking.
• The Quebec Order of Pharmacists asks its members to voluntarily put products containing dextromethorphan behind the counter until this change takes place.
• The Quebec Order of Pharmacists informs is members of the results of the report, in particular the deadly combination of drugs in the case of Yvon Boucher.
• The Quebec Collège des médecins notifies its members to the dangers of prescribing dextromethorphan to patients who may be taking an antibiotic or a serotonin inhibitor.
• A copy of the Coroner’s report is forwarded to Health Canada.
Do you think medicine that contains dextromethorphan should be moved behind the pharmacist’s counter?
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