Detox Universal Antidote

A Detox Universal Antidote is a dermal patch found in System Shock.

Overview
An experimental combat-enhancement patch developed by TriOptimum Pharmaceutical in the 2070's, it counters the effects of toxins and bio-hazards and, to date, removes side effects of other patches.

The method of application is a dermal patch applied directly to the skin, with the dose delivered by dermal osmosis. The acting compounds are still being tested and show serious side effects with their current compositions.

Strategy
The Detox will remain in your system for a short while. From limited testing, this duration varies from ~43 to ~73 seconds.

Effect on patches
While Detox is active, the primary effects of current or new patches will be nullified within a couple seconds, and any side effects will then be applied and subsequently nullified just as quickly. The exception to this is the full fatigue side effect of Staminup, which is not reduced or shortened. Notably this makes healing with Medipatches nearly worthless, but a First-Aid Kit will not be affected due to its non-pharmaceutical nature.

As such, it is best not to use Detox if you need to use any other patches in the immediate future, such as in combat. Use the Biological Systems Monitor to see when the patch has worn off.

Effect on contamination
Radioactive and/or biological contamination levels will be rapidly reduced if the player has left the "hot" zone, thus negating most of the damage the player would have taken if they had let the contamination fade away normally.

Standing in a contaminated tile with Detox applied (and reapplied as needed) will periodically reduce the contamination level temporarily, though it will sometimes go back to full. In this scenario, the player will take less damage and survive a while longer, perhaps because some of the damage ticks striking when the player is at a reduced contamination level.

However, a player would realistically be moving around in a hot zone as as to achieve their purpose for being there and get out quickly. As the player moves from tile to tile in a hot zone, the set contamination level is reapplied. Testing in a 100 LBP zone, with Detox reapplied as needed, no power left for the Environment suit, and the player running around constantly, lifetime is not meaningfully extended past the ~75 seconds in which the zone would kill the player normally. Of course this is the other extreme from standing still, so in an actual gameplay situation, with more stop-start movement, survivability would be increased.