Following ongoing identification of cases of opioid overdose after use of substances expected to be cocaine or methamphetamine in NSW, a Safety Notice for Clinicians (012/26) has been published on the NSW Health website. The Safety Notice will also be distributed via the Clinical Excellence Commission’s Safety Alert Broadcast System.
Additionally, one person has died and multiple people in four separate incidents across Victoria have required emergency care because they experienced heroin overdose after using what they thought was cocaine or methamphetamine. Specialised blood tests showed evidence of heroin as well as cocaine and methamphetamine, suggesting that heroin may have been mixed into these drugs (‘adulteration’).
Please see the drug alert issued by the Victorian Department of Health.
Please share this information with your patients, peers, clients, and professional networks as appropriate.
Know the signs of opioid overdose and access naloxone
Signs of opioid overdose include breathing slowly and reduced consciousness (meaning someone is hard to wake up). In some cases, the person may also have tiny pupils. More information about opioid overdose symptoms can be found on the Penington Institute website.
Naloxone is a life-saving medicine that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone is available in an easy to use nasal spray, and as a pre-filled injection.
If you might experience or witness an opioid overdose you can get naloxone for free without a prescription in NSW from many community pharmacies, needle and syringe programs, opioid treatment services and NUAA.
Start low, go slow. Try a test dose first and never use alone.
Be alert for signs of an overdose.
Think someone has overdosed? Call 000 for an ambulance immediately.
Immunisation Weekly Update: Capvaxive stock exhausted Current stocks of Capvaxive have been exhausted due to ongoing supply and distribution constraints, resulting in a temporary vaccine shortage. Further stock is anticipated to arrive in the coming weeks. Please ensure clinics or appointments for eligible patients are only booked when you have…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Capvaxive® supply constraints General practices are advised that there are currently national supply delays affecting Capvaxive® (adult pneumococcal vaccine). To help manage available stock, practices should only schedule vaccination appointments for eligible patients when adequate vaccine supplies are available on site. Supply constraints are expected to improve…
Immunisation Weekly Update: NSW Health Vaxigrip stock exhausted: temporary stock-sharing licence in place As of 20 July 2026, NSW Health has exhausted its available stock of Vaxgrip vaccine, which is funded for people aged 6 months to less than 5 years under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). NSW Health has…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Diphtheria vaccination for Aboriginal people and travellers Child vaccination FAQ resource Fatal meningococcal Y case in WA Education Diphtheria vaccination for Aboriginal people and travellers Recent diphtheria outbreaks in parts of Australia have prompted ATAGI to release updated advice regarding vaccination in outbreak settings. Clinicians should check…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Co-administration of vaccines guide The NCIRS Co-administration of vaccines guide for immunisation providers was updated July 2026. Most vaccines can be co-administered with other vaccines at the same National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule point. Separate injection sites should be used where possible, and if the same muscle…
