A new study reviewed deaths from PMMA in Alberta and British Columbia and looked at how health agencies manage epidemics and increase awareness.

Results were released in Calgary by Alberta Health Services on Wednesday.

The study reviewed deaths from July 2011 to April 2012 and looked at how health professionals responded to the outbreaks.

A total of 27 PMMA deaths occurred in Alberta (20) and B.C. (seven) between July 2011 and April 2012.

Dr. Jennifer Nicol is an emergency room physician and is the lead author on the story.

Nicol says the key is numerous agencies working together such as police, health care providers and poison control.

Since 2012, only one PMMA death has occurred in Alberta.

“We feel that the multi-pronged approach to public awareness was one of the factors ” said Nicol.

PMMA has been dubbed the street named “Death” or “Dr. Death” and has been responsible for numerous deaths worldwide.

Though PMMA is in the same class of drugs as MDMA, a.k.a. Ecstasy, and often sold on the street interchangeably, PMMA is considerably more toxic and is known to cause overheating of the body, seizures, organ malfunction, cardiovascular problems and death.

PMMA is often taken for its euphoric and stimulant effects, much like MDMA

The initial effects of PMMA are often delayed and are milder than MDMA, which may cause users to take more of the drug in an attempt to get the desired effect. 

This is the largest case study of its kind.