The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths have been attributed to the use of anti-psychotic drugs there have been since 1997. (302898)
The table attached provides the numbers of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and an anti-psychotic drug was mentioned on the death certificate, either alone or together with other substances, in England and Wales, for the years 1997 to 2008 (the latest year available).
Where more than one drug is mentioned on the death certificate, it is not always possible to tell which of them was primarily responsible for the death.
Deaths (persons) 1997 48 1998 57 1999 55 2000 76 2001 70 2002 54 2003 65 2004 79 2005 86 2006 77 2007 82 2008 87 ' Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1997-2000 and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) from 2001 onwards. Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in box 1 as follows) and where an anti-psychotic drug was mentioned on the death certificate either alone or together with other substances. 2 Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
Description ICD-9 ICD-10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 292, 304, 305.2-305.9 F11-F16, F18-F19 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E850-E858 X40-X44 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E950.0-E950.5 X60-X64 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E962.0 X85 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent E980.0-E980.5 Y10-Y14