WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – November 2017: On 1 November 2017, the White House released the Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders. This guide provides scientific and evidence-based actions and recommendations to first responders, such as law enforcement, fire, rescue and emergency medical services personnel, to enable them to protect themselves in cases of exposure to fentanyl and its analogues in the field and to other related substances that pose a threat to public health.

Within the guide, the safety regulations consider fentanyl and its analogues (e.g. acetylfentanyl, acrylfentanyl, carfentanil, furanylfentanyl), synthetic opioids (e.g. U-47700), and other related substances that may be laced with these substances. The recommendations fall into three categories, namely: actions first responders can take to protect themselves from exposure; actions first responders can take when exposure occurs; and actions first responders can take when they or their partners exhibit signs of intoxication.



For more information, please see:

The White House (2017) Fentanyl - Safety Recommendations for First Responders
www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/images/Final%20STANDARD%20size%20of%20Fentanyl%20Safety%20Recommendations%20for%20First%20Respond....pdf

UNODC Report on “Fentanyl and its analogues - 50 years on”
www.unodc.org/documents/scientific/Global_SMART_Update_17_web.pdf