Drug checking services allow people to mitigate risk of adverse outcomes, such as an overdose by making more informed choices about the substances they use and how they use them. Research from National Institute on Drug Abuse has found that drug checking services can change people’s drug use behavior, such as using smaller amounts and not using alone. In an April 2023 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a report on a pilot SSP-based drug checking program in Maryland found that drug checking was an important tool to understand local drug use and be able to provide timely resources. 

In recent years, more local health departments (LHDs) and their community partners are interested in providing comprehensive machine-based drug checking services beyond disposable single substance immunoassay test strips (i.e. fentanyl test strips, xylazine test strips). Drug checking services utilizing devices such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry are valuable tools in understanding the ever-changing illicit drug market. Early adopter sites have reported an expanded population engaged in services, including naloxone access, because of drug checking. Services also help health care providers and public health officials have greater tools to support people who have recently used substances when presenting with health issues. 

In November 2024, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, in partnership with Remedy Alliance and National Association of County and City Health Officials, conducted a landscape analysis assessing the readiness, needs, and barriers facing programs in scaling up drug checking services. Topic areas include resources, equipment and training needs, and data handling considerations.

Some key findings from the Landscape Analysis include:

• Drug checking services often link people to other important services
  • Over 90% of operating drug checking programs offer linkage to medical behavioral health services
  • Almost 89% offer linkage to substance use treatment, overdose education, and naloxone distribution
  • Half offered STI testing and three quarters offered HIV testing
  • Over 80% offered tools to reduce risk of infectious disease, like condoms and sterile syringes
• Funding was a primary concern for both programs providing drug checking and those interested in providing services
• Drug checking in the US is still a new concept with almost 2/3 of drug checking programs operating for less than 2 years, with half operating for less than a year

Remedy Alliance’s full landscape analysis report can be found here. To watch the webinar, click here.

If you have additional questions or would like more information about drug checking, please contact [email protected].