No updates this week in terms of unusual drug checking trends at the OPS/SCS sites and no specific updates from the drug technicians.
Study/Research update:
Drug Checking Pilot - VCH will begin rollout of a take home fentanyl test strip research project starting the week of April 29th. Peers will be enrolling participants at the Molson, Overdose Prevention Society, St. Paul’s Hospital OPS and Insite during drug checking shift times. Participants will receive $5 gift card for their involvement. Currently fentanyl test strips are only available at supervised consumption sites and overdose prevention sites. They are not given away to people for personal use. VCH are conducting this research to learn if providing people with take home drug checking supplies may allow them to use more safely in other settings. This research project is a collaboration of the BCCDC, Interior Health and VCH. VCH Overdose Emergency Response Nurse Educator, Sébastien Payan (Sebastien.payan@vch.ca), will be on the ground supporting Peers.