Track 05 of 9
Harm Reduction
Naloxone, syringe services, overdose prevention sites.
Harm reduction has moved from the margins to the center of US addiction policy following the 2022 federal endorsement of syringe services and OTC naloxone (Narcan, RiVive) approval. WCAM 2027 will examine the New York City and Rhode Island overdose prevention center evaluations, fentanyl and xylazine test strip distribution under updated state paraphernalia laws, and drug checking services using FTIR spectrometry. The track will also cover safer supply pilots in British Columbia, take-home naloxone saturation modeling, the role of community health workers in post-overdose outreach, and the evidence base for medicalized supervised consumption.
Focus areas
- OTC naloxone (Narcan, RiVive) and community distribution saturation
- Overdose prevention centers: NYC and Rhode Island evaluation data
- Fentanyl and xylazine test strips: legality and field utility
- Drug checking with FTIR and mass spectrometry at music festivals
- Safer supply pilots: British Columbia hydromorphone programs
- Syringe services programs: HIV/HCV prevention and linkage to care
- Post-overdose outreach teams and peer-led engagement models