Drug checking led to fewer people taking illicit substances, a large-scale evaluation has found.
Despite finding that Queensland’s drug checking service led to 40% of clients opting against taking an illicit substance, the state government has passed laws to ban all pill testing services overnight – in direct opposition to AMAQ advice.
“We are concerned these changes were made without appropriate consultation with stakeholders, or consideration of the evidence,” AMA Queensland president Dr Nick Yim told The Medical Republic.
“The final report completed by the University of Queensland into the state’s pill-testing trial confirms that drug checking saves lives, especially among young people, and should be expanded, not banned.”
Queensland’s short-lived pill testing service operated at two permanent sites between March 2024 and April 2025, at which point government funding was abruptly pulled.
An evaluation report from the University of Queensland looking at the pill testing service was completed and handed to government in June, but was only tabled on Thursday night.
It is the largest, most well-funded scientific evaluation of an Australian drug checking service to date, according to Cameron Francis, the CEO of drug checking non-profit The Loop.
Around 40% of the samples tested contained something other than just the expected substance, with 12% containing unexpected psychoactive substances.
MDMA, ketamine, 2C-B and alprazolam were the most likely substances to contain an unexpected psychoactive substance.
Drugs tested at festivals were more likely to contain unexpected psychoactive substances than those at fixed pill testing sites.
According to the study, follow-up surveys found that two in five clients decided against using the tested sample and one in 10 disposed of at least one tested sample.
One in three clients reported being more careful around not mixing substances at follow-up.
“That’s potentially hundreds of deaths and ED presentations potentially avoided,” Dr Yim said.
“That’s potentially hundreds of families and doctors saved from the distress of seeing a loved one or patient harmed.
“At a time when our public hospitals are under strain with ambulance ramping, measures that can reduce pressure on our emergency departments should be considered.”
The report also found that the service provided access to GPs and other harm reduction programs, as well as increased distribution of naloxone.
More than half of the drug-checking clients reported never having spoken to a health professional about their alcohol or drug use before, but of those who had, a GP was the most common health professional.
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“People at risk from drug use need health treatment and pill testing services put them in touch with the doctors and other health professionals they need,” Dr Yim said.
“AMA Queensland – along with other professional medical bodies – will continue to advocate for evidence-backed treatments that save lives.”
In total, about 15% of clients were referred on to a GP to discuss their substance use.
“As awareness of the services developed and uptake increased, clients accessed services, sometimes repeatedly, often engaging with drug-related health services for the first time, and reporting uptake of harm reduction behaviours,” the report read.
“Complex presentations where broader support requirements were recognized allowed for referral into multiple support systems, broadening the scope for improved client outcomes and drawing on existing relationships between services.
“Information about novel substances and presentations was used to inform clients, clinicians, and services about emerging risks, and contributed to the national early warning systems as well as the broader drug information landscape.”
The report also noted that the detection of synthetic opioids, high-dose MDMA formulations and contaminated benzodiazepine batches appeared to heighten awareness of substance related risks among the general community.
Despite recommendations from the independent review to expand the service, the Queensland government defunded it entirely.
On Thursday night, it also banned private providers from funding such a service.
In a break with regular procedure, the ban on pill testing was introduced as an amendment to an existing omnibus bill in such a way that it would pass through Queensland’s parliament without the scrutiny of a parliamentary committee.
Specifically, the amendment prevents the Queensland Health director-general from granting or renewing substance authorities for the purpose of drug checking.
TMR understands that no health peaks were consulted prior to the amendment being introduced.
“It sets a potentially dangerous precedent,” Dr Yim told ABC Radio National on Friday.
“I think we really need to be looking at evidence when we are making healthcare decisions and listening to the experts. We know that speaking to important key stakeholders [is important].”
