Suicide by sodium nitrite, a chemical compound used in preserving meats, fertilizers, and other applications, has been increasing—but poison centers are missing these cases, a new study found. The authors analyzed reports from two medical examiner jurisdictions in New York and found almost as many cases of sodium nitrite suicide as those reported in the entire national database. “Although national poison data estimated 13 to 20 deaths from 2019 and 2020, our findings confirmed 11 in our local jurisdictions alone,” the authors wrote.
The new study , a retrospective case series published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed sodium nitrite exposures and fatalities through reports from medical examiners and poison centers in two urban jurisdictions in New York State from 2000 to 2022. The authors confirmed 36 sodium nitrite suicides from 2019 to 2022 between the two jurisdictions, while poison center databases confirmed only two cases to be intentional exposures that were lethal or caused major outcomes. Another National Poison Data System analysis found only 33 deaths from 2019 to 2022—almost equivalent to the 36 cases identified in New York alone, the authors noted.
The authors said that many cases are not being reported to poison centers. Poison control centers in the United States are essential for patient care and public health, offering free services, triaging calls, and providing education on poisoning prevention. They play a vital role in drug and product safety researc.
