Letters to the Editor

Dear editor,

Johnston (2016) makes a convincing argument for an app to assist paramedics in the guidance for suitable care pathways after diagnosing overdose of ‘Legal Highs’ and is a worthy winner of the student medical poster competition. I would be grateful if he considered further improvements to his app concept and the web-based content supporting it.

He correctly identifies the difficulties with updating rapidly changing and geographically differing information about the various substances. I heard from a freelance colleague on the south coast of an app awaiting licensing and some development for the more mainstream recreational drugs. This app has input from police/Government chemical analysts and is updated to give local information. With a highly mobile population, it may be helpful to identify a purchase location or web address to assist in identifying the strengths and composition of the widely varying substances, as identified by Home Office laboratories. Paramedics could add to this process by an employer controlled means of collecting randomised data—for example: ‘herbal ecstasy, Bristol, hypotension resistant to fluid bolus.’ This would be relatively easy for updating to the app via either clinical support desk or directly via users themselves. Part of the database supporting the app would, of course, need to have supplier web location and/or street location information sources.