E for Ecstasy by Nicholas Saunders
Appendix 1: Reference Section

58 Notes from meeting with Dr. John Merrill of NW Regional Health Authority

Dr. Merrill answers some of the most frequently raised queries about Ecstasy:

Allergic reactions: none are known.

Asthma: There is no pharmacological reason why asthma should be made any worse by E.

Diabetes: There is no known effect on blood sugar, but if you take E you are likely to be more energetic. If you are diabetic, you should adjust your sugar intake or insulin dose to allow for increased physical activity.

Epilepsy: E can cause epileptic fits if taken in overdose. If you suffer from epilepsy and take E you are more likely to have fits.

Liver problems: Recently several cases of jaundice have been reported in those who take E. Many of these have been very serious, leading to irreversible liver failure, liver transplantation or death. Its not clear why this happens. It may be that E is only toxic to the liver after many doses over many months. Or the liver failures could be due to toxic by products in poorly manufactured E.

Pregnancy: All drugs are potentially toxic to a developing foetus, and the younger it is the more dangerous they are. There are good reasons to believe that E may cause congenital abnormalities. It could cause miscarriage later in pregnancy. If you are pregnant, don't even consider taking E. [Experiments with animals show no damage.108]

Dr. Merrill added in conversation that people with hay fever and eczema who take E may also face higher risks.