Inquiry Hears Paramedic’s Drug Error Aided Skripal But Complicated Diagnosis

An expert from a confidential defense facility stated that a first responder administering treatment to a former Russian intelligence officer committed “an excellent drug dosing error.” Although this mistake proved “clinically beneficial” for Sergei Skripal, as revealed during an inquiry, it significantly complicated the diagnosis of Novichok poisoning for both Mr. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. The identity of this medical professional, employed at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) in Porton Down, Wiltshire, remains undisclosed and is identified solely as FT49 by the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry. Mr. Skripal and Ms. Skripal were transported to a hospital on March 4, 2018, following their discovery unconscious on a public bench in the heart of Salisbury. This testimony was presented during the second week of proceedings for an inquiry investigating the demise of Dawn Sturgess, a 44-year-old Wiltshire resident, who succumbed to Novichok poisoning four months subsequent to the event involving the Skripals. The ongoing inquiry, which commenced at Salisbury’s Guildhall on October 14 and is currently convened at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, is not in session today. Over the preceding two days, the inquiry received testimony from intensive care physicians responsible for the Skripals’ treatment and the initial paramedic present at the scene. Additionally, the head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command provided input earlier in the week. The last witness scheduled for this week was the unidentified FT49, whose testimony was delivered in private owing to the confidential nature of their professional duties. In his testimony, FT49 elaborated on specifics of a paramedic’s actions that had been previously submitted to the inquiry as written evidence earlier in the week. Paramedic Karl Bullpitt, who provided care to Mr. Skripal at the location, detailed in his written account how he initially selected naloxone—a medication used for opioid overdose—with the intention of giving it to the former intelligence agent. Nevertheless, Mr. Skripal vomited before the drug could be administered, and in the haste to clear his respiratory passages, the paramedic accidentally overturned the medical bag within the ambulance. After successfully clearing the airway, he retrieved vials he presumed to be naloxone and administered them, observing a “good effect,” as Mr. Bullpitt stated, with Mr. Skripal becoming “slightly more responsive.” This outcome, he further noted, “bolstered” the belief that Mr. Skripal had experienced an overdose. However, upon Mr. Bullpitt’s return to the ambulance station later that day to replenish the medical supplies bag, he discovered that no naloxone was unaccounted for, indicating that he must have administered an alternative medication. He subsequently recognized that he had, in fact, given Mr. Skripal atropine, a drug typically carried to address symptoms associated with a reduced heart rate. Addressing this incident in his testimony, FT49 remarked: “The inadvertent administration of atropine, yes, that was an excellent drug dosing error to make, and that was again clinically beneficial in maintaining Sergei’s heart rate. “However what that does do is make your clinical diagnosis at presentation when you think about toxidromes incredibly difficult.”” Yesterday, the inquiry received accounts from the initial two consultants who treated Mr. and Ms. Skripal, which included comprehensive details regarding the challenges faced in the initial hours and days to determine the cause of their condition. Dr. James Haslam, a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine at Salisbury District Hospital, informed the inquiry on Wednesday that the Skripals’ symptoms were “too extreme” to be considered “a normal presentation for recreational drug overdoses.” He began to suspect the involvement of a nerve agent the day following their hospital admission, having identified their symptoms from educational material he had reviewed for an examination years prior. The inquiry is scheduled to recommence next week, with initial testimony from Wiltshire Police detectives, followed by additional medical evidence.