Emerging Overdose Detection Technologies for People Who Use Alone

Location: A411 GWCC - Most people who die from overdose are alone at the time of use. Real-time monitoring of drug use events and rapid connection to a trained responder could save lives if widely adopted by people who use drugs. This session will describe the rationale for remotely supervised drug use via overdose prevention technologies and provide examples for how these programs are working in the United States and Canada. The panel includes leaders from two of the leading overdose detection programs in North America that have worked collaboratively since 2022 to establish a network of U.S. and Canadian partners to share best practices and resources: The Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline and Brave Technology Co-op. Each presenter will describe their history, how the program works, lessons learned, and current challenges. Publicly available data also will be shared about other existing overdose detection technologies including Never Use Alone and the National Overdose Response Service.

Collectively, these organizations have launched telephone hotlines, smartphone applications, motion detectors, and overdose alert buttons, have been utilized more than 36,000 times since 2019, and reversed more than 350 overdoses. Furthermore, their operators have successfully made referrals to naloxone, syringe services programs, and drug treatment. These services are endorsed by many government agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local health departments, universities, and community organizations.

This session will review the latest science on these services, including their utilization across North America. While initially designed primarily to provide spotting for people intentionally using opioids, the caller-base has grown to include people who primarily use cocaine, methamphetamine, or counterfeit pills and are concerned with potential fentanyl contamination or other stimulant-related medical events.