John J.
Senior Member.
?? is fentanyl a liquid that unstable people squirt at you?
Article: for healthcare workers providing care to unstable, "wet" patients who have bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhea.
I think the reference to "wet" patients is more to do with biological pathogens (viruses, bacteria etc.) which can (depending on type) be carried in various bodily fluids.
There have been a number of claims, particularly in the USA, of emergency workers (e.g. police, paramedics) becoming unwell from physical contact with fentanyl users, or even just being in close proximity. This would mean the user somehow exudes or exhales significant amounts of unmetabolized fentanyl; this has been investigated and is widely thought to be unlikely.
"Fact Check: Accidental Fentanyl Exposure, Misinformation & Facts", Maryland Department of HealthExternal Quote:n recent years, there have been widely circulated and misleading claims that an opioid overdose can occur just by coming into physical contact with trace amounts of fentanyl. Experts in the field of medicine and toxicology have said that this is extremely unlikely.
...News media have recently reported on alleged incidents of first responders experiencing overdoses. ...There have never been clinical toxicology results confirming fentanyl exposure released following one of these incidents. Experts suggest that the clinical presentation of these cases are distinct from that of an opioid overdose.
https://stopoverdose.maryland.gov/w...heck_-Accidental-Fentanyl-Exposure-update.pdf
"Fentanyl Exposure, Protection, and Treatment Myths and Facts", Health Canada https://fentanylsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/Fentanyl-Exposure_Myths-and-Facts-20172.pdfExternal Quote:MYTH: First responders have overdosed after contact with a fentanyl overdose victim or contaminated environment.
...FACT: Most first responders' encounters with overdose victims and contaminated environments do not present a significant drug exposure threat to responders.
"Facts About Fentanyl", Washington State Department of Health, June 2025 https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/340441-FactsAboutFentnyl.pdfExternal Quote:FACT ONE: Touching fentanyl does not itself cause overdose. ...There has not been a confirmed case of harm from simply touching fentanyl. High profile stories of people touching fentanyl and experiencing an opioid overdose have been debunked.