The program operates in partnership with local Syringe Service Programs

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – In August, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office (CCMEO) began a pilot drug testing program of syringes collected from local syringe service programs (SSP) at The Centers, and the MetroHealth System. This program includes partnerships with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) and The Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at Case Western Reserve University (The Begun Center).

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office provides meaningful data on fatal overdoses and does extensive testing on drugs seized by law enforcement, but developing a true picture of those using these substances is more challenging. Understanding drug use among people who participate in SSPs may be valuable in designing lifesaving intervention strategies for Cuyahoga County and improving understanding of drug use patterns.

The Begun Center serves as the evaluation partner for the grant, and supports data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings. Over 120 syringes have been collected from the SSPs for testing since the start of the initiative. The program is also sharing testing results with those who submit samples in order to better inform them of the drugs in their illicit supply, which may reduce harms related to their drug use.

“This program will provide valuable information to combat the overdose fatalities of the opioid epidemic,” said Dr. Thomas Gilson, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. “Understanding the similarities and possible differences between fatal overdose victims and people who use drugs but are employing harm reduction services, can clarify and improve our public health strategies around reducing overdose mortality.”

The CCBH was awarded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Overdose Data to Action (OD2A): Limiting Overdose through Collaborative Action in Localities (OD2A: LOCAL) cooperative agreement, which funds 40 city, county, and territorial health departments (https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/od2a/local.html).

This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of Overdose Data to Action: LOCAL (CDC-RFA-CE-23-0003). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.