Page 64 - 2023 Taiwan Food and Drug Administration Annual Report
P. 64
2023 Taiwan Food and
Drug Administration
Annual Report
screening of urine specimens of 150 NPSs method validation data for review in order
for suspected drug poisoning cases in ED of to maximize the capacity of urine testing for
medical institutions throughout the nation. NPSs.
The results can be the reference to diagnosis
and treatment for ER physicians, as well as to In 2022, the total number of urine
understand the drug abuse situation from the tests performed throughout Taiwan came
medical side. to 274,569, among them were 64,668
positive results, accounting for 23.6% of
▍ Achievements and Benefits all tests. The top three drugs detected were
methamphetamine, ketamine, and morphine.
I. Reporting situation of drug Compared with the number of urine tests from
abuse from healthcare 2022, the percentage of methamphetamine
facilities decreased by 10.3%, while cases of ketamine
and morphine increased by 34.7% and 15%.
According to the DARS data, there
were a total of 14,741 cases of drug abuse III. Reporting situation of non-
reported by healthcare facilities throughout urine testing for drug abuse
2022, a decrease of 48.8% from 2021. The
top three drug abused were heroin (7,699, In 2022, the total number of cases with
52.2%), (meth) amphetamine (5,241, 35.6%), positive test results in non-urine specimens
and benzodiazepine (1,433, 9.7%), which was testing for suspected illicit drug and controlled
generally identical to the trends in 2021. drug abuse in Taiwan came to 248,500, a
decrease of 3.8% from 2021. Of which, there
II. Reporting situation of were 23,255 cases of methamphetamine,
accredited institutions for 18,395 cases of ketamine, and 25,186 cases for
drug abuse urine testing heroin.
As of the end of 2022, 19 testing IV. Taiwan Emergency
institutions had been accredited and there were Department Drug Abuse
2 designated public health bureaus. Among Surveillance
them were 15 that had been performing urine
testing for NPSs and they need to report test In 2022, a network of 139 collaborating
results each month to the UDARS. TFDA hospitals and a platform for expanded
continues to encourage private test institutions extensive screening of urine specimens of
to get accreditated and submit their NPS test 150 NPSs were in place. The number of
samples received came to 3,274 and among
them were 886 positive cases, accounting for
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