Assistant Coroner Ian Potter has now written to the Tradition Secretary concerning the risks of the websites (Picture: Getty)
A coroner has issued a warning after a ‘extremely proficient’ lawyer died from taking a cocktail of prescription-only medicines she had purchased from illicit web sites.
For 4 years earlier than her dying Dr Kimberly Liu had been repeatedly shopping for sedatives on-line, an inquest heard.
The 40-year-old – a educating fellow at Durham College – had change into hooked on sleeping drugs and painkillers, the listening to was informed.
However whereas her GP had prescribed her some drugs, the Harvard Legislation College graduate had commonly sought out others on the web.
Dr Liu was discovered unresponsive by her husband at her London residence in February 2023 and was pronounced lifeless as a result of ‘blended drug toxicity’.
Assistant Coroner Ian Potter has now written to the Tradition Secretary, Lucy Frazer MP, warning concerning the risks of the unregulated web sites utilized by Dr Liu.
In his Prevention of Future Deaths report he redacted the names of the medication and the net websites she accessed.
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However he warned they have been putting potential prospects in ‘grave hazard’.
“The proof revealed that from at the least 2019, Kimberly Liu had commonly accessed web sites particularly aimed toward promoting prescription-only drugs (predominantly drugs with a sedative impact) that allowed repeat orders on the identical day and didn’t require a prescription,” he stated.
“Regardless of the completely different URLs a few of the web sites seem like operated by the identical firm and/or particular person(s), in that ordering utilizing an an identical WhatsApp quantity was additionally permitted.
“Correspondence from the web sites, following an order being positioned, included messaging that instructed that the operator(s) knew that their provide of such remedy was prone to arouse regulatory suspicion.
“By means of instance, messaging obtained in emails following the putting of an order, included the next: ‘That is to tell you that utilization of the identify “Sleeping Tablets” in the course of the fee on the banks is prohibited. Kindly don’t use the model identify as it may be dangerous for us.
“’DO NOT MENTION THE PRODUCT OR WEBSITE WHEN MAKING PAYMENT’. “
Mr Potter – who covers Interior North London – stated that on one event in December 2021 one web site permitted an identical orders of tablets inside 9 minutes of one another, ‘with out query or checks’.
“Three days later an extra order of was once more permitted with none question,” he added.
“The priority right here is that these web sites, and probably different related web sites, aren’t solely working with out regulation, however that they seem to use already susceptible people by facilitating an virtually unseen feeding of harmful remedy addictions thereby putting these people in grave hazard.”
Mr Potter stated the web sites might assist in suicide makes an attempt.
“I consider that consideration should be given to the affect that the supply of such web sites has on the inhabitants at giant, along with the considerably elevated dangers to those that have developed an dependancy to such drugs or could even be considering acts of self-harm,” he stated.
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“I additionally consider that consideration should be given as to if and what motion(s) may very well be taken to take away or restrict entry to or the supply of such web sites.”
The inquest final month was informed that Dr Liu – an American who bought her Ph.D. from College School, London – had change into hooked on sleeping tablets, painkilling remedy, and different drugs ‘with a sedative impact’ within the years previous to her dying.
“On 7 February this 12 months she was discovered unresponsive at residence by her husband and an ambulance was known as,” the coroner stated. “Paramedics verified her dying at residence.
“Submit-mortem toxicological evaluation revealed quite a few prescription-only drugs in Dr Liu’s blood on the time of her dying.
“A few of these drugs had been prescribed by Dr Liu’s basic practitioner and have been at or about therapeutic ranges; whereas different drugs, which had not been prescribed by her GP, have been discovered at ranges suggestive of extreme use.”
Mr Potter recorded a verdict of drug associated dying.
Writing to Mrs Frazer, he stated: “For my part motion ought to be taken to stop future deaths and I consider you’ve gotten the ability to take such motion.”
The Tradition Secretary has till February 15 to reply.
Based on an obituary printed within the Washington Submit, Dr Liu attended Virginia College, Harvard Legislation College, the London College of Economics and UCL.
On the time of her dying, she was a educating fellow in employment regulation at Durham College, it stated.
“This enchanting daughter, sister, and spouse was the sunshine of our lives. The depth of our sorrow at her passing is past description.”
In a tribute from UCL, Professor Colm O’Cinneide described her as a ‘fantastic individual: considerate, caring and possessed of exceptional intelligence’
Professor Eloise Scotford, Dean of UCL College of Legal guidelines, stated she was a ‘extremely proficient and beneficiant younger authorized tutorial’.
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