Introduction: Overdose response hotlines and apps are novel virtual harm reduction technologies that allow remote monitoring of individuals while they use substances (especially if they use alone) through electronic means. The authors explored partner perspectives to determine which groups of people who use substances (PWUS) these services would be most appropriate for, with the aim of better informing service providers on how to target their use to maximize benefit for clients.
Methods: The study conducted 64 semi-structured interviews with participants from a variety of backgrounds (individuals with lived or living experience of substance use, lay persons, health care providers, harm reduction workers, and operational experts).
Since the Nobel prize winning discovery that polyacetylene could act as a semiconductor, there has been tremendous efforts dedicated to understanding and harnessing the unusual properties of π-conjugated polymers. Much of this research has focused on the preparation of oligoynes and polyynes with well-defined numbers of repeating alkyne units as models for carbyne. These studies are usually hampered by a structure-property relationship where the stability of the resulting materials decrease with the incorporation of additional alkyne units.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Supervised consumption sites (SCS) and overdose prevention sites (OPS) have been implemented across Canada to mitigate harms associated with illicit substance use. Despite their successes, they still contend with challenges that limit their accessibility and uptake. Overdose response hotlines and apps are novel virtual technologies reminiscent of informal "spotting" methods that may address some of the limitations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Health Syst Pharm
September 2024
Purpose: Real-time prescription benefits (RTPB) shows prescribers patient-, medication-, and pharmacy-specific information on medication pricing, prior authorization requirements, and lower-cost alternatives. RTPB is intended to improve patient satisfaction and prescription fill rates by decreasing out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions. Therefore, we evaluated how RTPB affects prescribing patterns by examining acceptance and subsequent fill rates for RTPB alternative suggestions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic introduced additional health challenges for people who use substances (PWUS) amid the overdose crisis. Numerous harm reduction services, including supervised consumption sites (SCS) across Canada, faced shutdowns and reduced operating capacity in order to comply with public health measures. Mobile Overdose Response Services (MORS) are novel overdose prevention technologies that allow those who are unable to access alternative means of harm reduction to consume substances under the virtual supervision of a trained operator.
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