The role of the toxicological service in the drug situation monitoring system: problems and ways of improvement

Introduction. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the high significance of measures aimed at combating and preventing the illegal distribution and non-medical use of narcotic substances.

The aim of the study. Show the importance of toxicological monitoring in the drug situation assessment system, identify existing problems and ways to improve it.

Material and methods. Analiysis of the regulatory legal framework regulating the provision of toxicological care to the population and the drug situation monitoring system, analysis of the toxicological monitoring system in St. Petersburg. Statistical and analytical methods along with content analysis were used.

Results. The article presents the contribution of the toxicological service to the drug situation monitoring system in the Russian Federation and identifies a number of organizational problems related to the diagnosis and accounting of acute poisoning with narcotic substances. Proposed the ways of improving toxicological monitoring, which will improve the quality and efficiency of information capturing — organization and equipping with modern diagnostic equipment of toxicological centers (departments) in all subjects of Russian Federation; ensuring the availability of toxicological counseling through the development of a system of regional information and advisory toxicological centers; coordination of poisoning by new narcotic substances and their precursors with the unified coding system ICD-10; development of a control system for filling out registration form No. 58-1/у “Emergency notification of acute poisoning of chemical etiology”; supplement the group “drug poisoning” of Federal Forms of Statistical Observation No. 57 and No. 14 with nosological units - cannabis poisoning (T40.7), LSD poisoning (T40.8), poisoning with other and unspecified psychodisleptics (T40.9); organization of a stationary post of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the basis of toxicological centers, which will allow more effective measures to prevent spread and use of drugs.

Limitations. Regulatory and legal framework in the field of official statistical accounting of acute poisoning with drugs and psychosleptics.

Conclusion. The data obtained in the course of the study will allow improving the system of monitoring the drug situation in the country, conducting a comparative interregional analysis, promptly and objectively evaluating the quality of work on the prevention of illegal distribution and non-medical use of narcotic substances and drug trafficking control.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the Biomedical ethics committee and other documents.

Author contribution:
Shikalova I.A. — the concept and design of the study, the collection and processing of material, statistical analysis, writing the text;
Lodyagin A.N. — study concept and design, editing;
Barsukova I.M. — text writing, editing;
Panov A.M. — collection and processing of material, writing the text, editing;
Sinenchenko A.G. — writing text.
All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Funding. The study was not sponsored.

Received: December 27, 2022 / Accepted: May 26, 2023 / Published: June 30, 2023