Dr. Judith Feinberg receives award for multi-year project with Research Triangle Institute International

Dr. Judith Feinberg was recently awarded ~$697,000 for a multi-year project with Research Triangle Institute International, funded through the US DHHS NIH National Institute of Drug Abuse entitled: “Off-label Use of Rapid Response Fentanyl Test Strips as an Opioid Overdose Prevention Strategy”. 

This study is a mixed-methods study to investigate the positive and negative consequences of fentanyl test strip (FTS) use by people who inject drugs (PWID). Overdose deaths involving illicitly made fentanyl (IMF) increased 540% in the United States from 2013 to 2016 and then another 45.2% from 2016 to 2017 with IMF-involved deaths outnumbering heroin and prescription opioid deaths for the first time in 2016 Fentanyl’s high potency and rapid onset of action significantly increase OD fatality risk compared with heroin and prescription opioids. Since 2013, fentanyl OD deaths have been largely attributable to IMF and fentanyl analogs rather than to prescription fentanyl (e.g., Duragesic®). The rapid proliferation of IMF in the illicit drug market has led to a heightened risk environment characterized by adulterated products of unknown purity and potency.