Professor backs permanent drug-test centres, not just for festivals

A medical professor has backed the idea of a centralised drug-testing facility in capital cities, following a spate of overdoses.

David Caldicott, who was involved in the first pill-testing trial at the Groovin the Moo music festival, said a centralised drug-testing facility was “a step even further than testing at festivals”.

A medical professor who was last year involved in the first pill-­testing trial at an Australian music festival has backed the idea of a centralised drug-testing facility in capital cities, following a spate of overdoses.

David Caldicott, who was involved in the first pill-testing trial at the Groovin the Moo music festival in Canberra in May, said a centralised drug-testing facility was “a step even further than testing at festivals”.

“Far more harm occurs during the week so it would make sense to have a facility that is available more regularly than just music ­festivals,” he told The Weekend Au stralia n.

Dr Caldicott said if such a facility were to be introduced, it would need to be in an environment where health professionals could discuss the results with users face to face. Some government figures, including NSW Premier Gladys ­Berejiklian, have this week ­appeared to soften their opposition towards pill testing.

“If there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing, we would consider it, but there is no evidence provided to the government on that,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The pill-testing debate intensified after five young people died in five months from suspected overdoses after attending music festivals and concerts in NSW and Victoria. Toxicologist Andrew Leibie, who has been vocal in his opposition to festival pill-testing, said he agreed with Dr Caldicott on the idea of a central testing facility.

“Fixed-site testing in a medical laboratory environment would provide a level of accuracy into the dosage of a drug that you couldn’t get in a tent at a music festival,” he said. “It’s an effective way of understanding what’s on the market because a facility like this would give us greater depth of information of the drugs tested.”

It would also allow health ­experts to test drugs that were not commonly found within a festival environment, such as the opioid fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times more concentrated than morphine, he said. “If festival-goers were to go to this central facility before a festival and get their pills tested, it would make police and medical staff better equipped to respond in a festival environment,” he said.

Mr Leibie said a central facility was also a better solution than having a vague text sent to festival-goers about a dangerous “orange pill”, which was the case at the Lost Paradise music festival in NSW, where Joshua Tam, 22, died. Ms Berejiklian’s office declined to comment about a central drug testing facility.