Since 1999, more than 932,000 people have
died from a drug overdose. In 2020, 91,799 drug overdose deaths occurred. The
rate of overdose deaths has increased by 31% from 2019 to 2020.
Virtual overdose monitoring is a concept
that has the potential to reduce the risk of death from opioids and other
substances by offering timely and anonymous access to emergency care. This
study is published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Isolation and solitary use of opioids and
other substances are the main driver of overdose deaths, as people are unable
to seek help. Virtual overdose monitoring using phone lines or smartphone apps
can connect people anonymously with people who can develop personalized
emergency response plans and supervise substance use. These services operate
24 hours a day and have no restrictions on the type of substances or how
they are used.
Virtual overdose monitoring services are
novel public health interventions capable of providing timely and accessible
harm reduction and overdose prevention services for people who use substances. Evidence
suggests that virtual overdose monitoring services have promise as an adjunct
to supervised consumption services in the continuum of care for people who use
substances.
Reference:
Virtual overdose monitoring may
help reduce opioid deaths; CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL, DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.220579.