Research Projects

A mixed-methods evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of a drug checking pilot in British Columbia

Status: Active

Project Lead: Lianping Ti

Other: Alison Knill, Research Coordinator

This study intends to evaluate the use and acceptance by people who use drugs (PWUD) of immunoassay test strips and the Bruker ALPHA FTIR spectrometer as drug checking technologies at select supervised consumption sites, overdose prevention sites, and other health authority-sanctioned sites. We are conducting the study through a mixed-methods approach.

We want to generate knowledge about whether drug checking can be used as a reliable and sustainable harm reduction/overdose prevention intervention in British Columbia. Some of the aspects we are evaluating include: who is accessing drug checking services, opinions about drug checking, and behavioural modifications that may result from drug checking. There is a $25 honorarium for participating in this study.