The Department of Health and Children and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform have requested the Alcohol and Drug Research Unit of the Health Research Board to establish a National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) in order to comply with Action 67 of Building on Experience: National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008.
The index is a census of drug-related deaths (such as those due to accidental or intentional overdose) and deaths among drug users (such as those due to hepatitis C and HIV) in Ireland. It will also record alcohol-related deaths.
The information collected will be used to develop health and social service responses aimed at reducing the number of deaths. The number of drug-related deaths and deaths among drug users is one of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) key indicators to measure the consequences of drug use.
