Exclusive: Prescriptions rising for anxiety drug linked to 1 in 10 drug deaths in England

Pregabalin is a prescription drug used to treat epilepsy, chronic pain and anxiety.

It’s regarded by the authorities as an effective treatment, but it can also cause dependency, addiction, and puts people at higher risk of overdosing on other substances – the reasons why it became more tightly regulated in 2019.

Yet figures obtained by Channel 4 News show that, since then, the number of patients being prescribed Pregabalin has risen significantly in England, and so too has the number of fatalities it’s linked to.