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Tag: opioid epidemic

  • A Breathalyzer For Opioids Is In The Works

    A Breathalyzer For Opioids Is In The Works

    It’s being described as a “less invasive way to monitor a patient’s drug use by collecting their breath in a small specialized machine. “

    Researchers at UC Davis are working on a device that can detect the presence of opioids similar to the popular devices that detect alcohol on people’s breath. 

    “When we started this nobody knew you could measure drugs in breath,” Professor Cristina Davis, the chair of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department at UC Davis, told CBS Sacramento.

    She along with her team of researchers helped develop the device, which they believe has the potential to save lives.

    How It Works

    The device in question is described as a “less invasive way to monitor a patient’s drug use by collecting their breath in a small specialized machine. “

    Dr. Nicholas Kenyon, a member of the research team described the way the device works to CBS Sacramento. “We collect breath in a liquid format in this device and we chill it and then we collect it as a liquid and run it through a mass spectrometer to measure what’s in there.”

    The team believes that their device can help a multitude of professionals including doctors, firefighters, law enforcement and probation officers identify drug use. 

    For doctors, the device could help them ensure patients aren’t misusing their prescriptions. 

    “A device like this could help tell if they’re taking the drugs like they’re supposed to,” Davis said.

    For police officers, the device can help identify drivers under the influence, while for probation officers could use the device to make sure that parolees remain sober.

    Davis has high hopes for the future of breath testing. 

    “I would love to say in one to three years that we actually have people using this for one of the application areas and I think from there it will grow. I think over a five-to-10-year time frame, that breath testing won’t just be a story, it’ll actually be at your doctor’s office,” Davis said.

    Marijuana Breathalyzer

    Another type of breathalyzer is being rolled out to combat driving under the influence of cannabis. Star Labs have created a device that uses nanotechnology to detect THC levels in breath. While breathalzyers for alcohol use have been in use for decades, similar tests for marijuana have been slow to develop due to the way THC works in the body.

    Determining the ratio of THC in someone’s breath versus the amount of THC in their blood has left scientists scratching their heads. And federal prohibition makes researching the drug to come up with a proper way to measure it in the blood and breath particularly difficult. 

    According to NPR, Star Lab’s marijuana breathalyzer is “nearly ready for mass production” and could potentially be on the market soon. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Prince's Cousin Reflects On Late Singer's Overdose Prior To His Death

    Prince's Cousin Reflects On Late Singer's Overdose Prior To His Death

    “Somebody should be held accountable and I hope to make sure that happens someday.”

    A week before his death, Prince reportedly overdosed on a plane ride and was subsequently revived with the help of Narcan. The icon’s death would go on to overshadow the near-fatal overdose that preceded it, but now his cousin Charles Smith is discussing the incident on a recent episode of E! True Hollywood Stories that focuses on the Purple Rain singer.

    On April 15, 2016, the singer reportedly stopped breathing mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, so that first responders could revive him. Shortly after the singer was revived, he returned home and it was business as usual. 

    “Somebody was hiding something,” Smith said in the episode. “Prince is back to being Prince again and they take him back home. He should’ve never left that hospital.”

    Six days later, the 57-year-old musician was found dead of a suspected overdose. A toxicology report revealed that he had exceedingly high concentrations of fentanyl in his blood. 

    In 2018, after a two-year investigation, Carver County officials announced that no one would be held accountable for Prince’s overdose death. 

    Carver County Attorney Mark Metz said that Prince had taken counterfeit Vicodin which was laced with fentanyl. The singer reportedly had no idea the pills were counterfeit. Investigators were unable to find “sufficient evidence” that someone had provided him with the fake pills

    Smith expressed disdain for the lack of accountability for the late singer’s death.

    Who’s Accountable For His Death?

    “I knew this was going to be the result,” Smith said in response to the announcement. “Somebody should be held accountable and I hope to make sure that happens someday.”

    A federal lawsuit was brought against Dr. Michael T. Schulenberg, who had treated the singer twice in the week after his near-fatal overdose. The doctor stood accused of prescribing Percocet to Prince’s bodyguard though the Percocet was actually for the singer.

    Meanwhile the singer’s family filed suit against Schulenberg, Walgreens (who filled the prescription) and other individuals from Trinity Medical Center who they claimed “failed to appropriately evaluate, diagnose, treat and counsel Prince for his recognisable opioid addiction.”

    “We understand this situation has been difficult on everyone close to Mr. Nelson and his fans across the globe,” a lawyer representing Schulenberg said in 2018. “Be that as it may, Dr. Schulenberg stands behind the care that Mr. Nelson received. We intend to defend this case.”

    Schulenberg ultimately wound up settling for $30,000 with the feds. The wrongful death lawsuit is ongoing. 

    Moving Forward

    Smith has become an activist in the wake of his cousin’s death. During a January 2019 appearance at the third annual Opioid Awareness Day in St. Paul, Minnesota, Smith spoke about the opioid epidemic’s far reach. 

    “We’re losing legends, we’re losing potential legends and that’s a shame,” Smith said, according to The Star Tribune. “Prince had everything, everything you can ever want, and it touched him.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Hospitals Sue Drug Companies, Seeking Opioid Settlement Money

    Hospitals Sue Drug Companies, Seeking Opioid Settlement Money

    These lawsuits are separate from those filed by thousands of American municipalities against many of the same companies.

    Hospitals are joining the fight in trying to squeeze settlement money from drug companies accused of fueling opioid abuse and overdose in the U.S.

    The High Cost Of Addiction Treatment

    Hospitals in Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Kentucky and West Virginia are suing companies like Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson and McKesson, a drug distributor, hoping to recoup the heavy cost of treating the opioid crisis.

    “The expense of treating overdose and opioid-addicted patients has skyrocketed, straining the resources of hospitals throughout our state,” said Lee Bond, chief executive officer of Singing River Health System in Mississippi, which is also suing.

    These lawsuits are separate from those filed by thousands of American municipalities against many of the same companies.

    Hospitals see the worst of the opioid crisis firsthand. People who overdose, or require treatment for serious illness like endocarditis, pneumonia and hepatitis, are often unable to pay for treatment.

    According to court filings cited by NPR, hospitals estimate that the cost of treating such patients amounts to an average of $107,000 per person. In just one year, providing treatment for opioid-related sickness has cost U.S. hospitals over $15 billion, according to 2012 statistics.

    “I can’t pay a thing. I don’t have a dime. So they do absorb all that cost,” said Traci Grimes, a woman from Nashville who was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (which is not involved in any lawsuit) for near-fatal endocarditis, hepatitis A and C, and pneumonia.

    Hospital Lawsuits Could Open “New Can Of Worms”

    Health experts noted that hospitals may be reluctant to sue in order to protect sensitive information such as how they determine their prices for care, or their relationships with drug companies. This may garner “some unflattering attention” for some hospitals, a health analyst explained to NPR. It could potentially open “a whole new can of worms,” making it a safer choice to sit out on litigation.

    However, the downside of sitting out is that hospitals are not guaranteed to receive any of the settlement money won by municipalities, experts noted.

    Ohio Governor John Kasich and West Virginia University President Gordon Gee want more hospitals to join as plaintiffs.

    “Hospitals are directly bearing the brunt of this crisis,” it says on the website for their organization, Citizens for Effective Opioid Treatment. “U.S. hospitals provide billions of dollars annually in reimbursed care directly related to the opioid crisis.”

    Gee told NPR, “There’s always safety in mass.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Four States Propose $48 Billion Settlement In Global Opioid Lawsuit

    Four States Propose $48 Billion Settlement In Global Opioid Lawsuit

    The $48 billion offer is still a far cry from the estimated $504 billion in damages caused to the country in 2015 alone.

    The attorneys general of four U.S. states have proposed a $48 billion settlement between some of the world’s biggest drug companies and states, tribes and nearly 3,000 cities and counties across the nation at what could be the peak of the opioid epidemic. 

    The offer comes shortly after what would have been the first federal opioid trial was averted by a $250 million settlement between Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen and two counties in Ohio.

    The global settlement deal was proposed by two Democratic and two Republican attorneys general of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Tennessee. According to NBC News, the foursome has not yet announced whether any other states are on board with their plan.

    Is $48 Billion Enough?

    However, a lawyer representing the cities and counties involved in the global suit, Paul Hanly, believes that this number is not high enough for his clients. It’s likely that negotiations will continue for another three to six months, he said.

    “This is the most complex negotiation in the history of litigation,” said Hanley.

    Last week, Hanley’s clients rejected an offer of $18 billion over the course of 18 years after it was found that New York City would have only received as little as $5 million per year from the deal, a small fraction of the $500 million per year it has spent to combat the opioid crisis. The same issue applied to other cities.

    The $48 billion offer is still a far cry from the estimated $504 billion in damages caused to the country in just the year 2015.

    Funds Would Be Delivered Over 10-Year Period

    The settlement would also be split between cash payments and services and supplies. The deal proposed for the global case would offer over $22 billion in cash as well as $26 billion in treatment drugs and delivery services, all of which would be delivered over the course of 10 years. 

    In Ohio, drug distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen paid $215 million to Summit and Cuyahoga counties, while generic opioid maker Teva Pharmaceutical paid $20 million in cash and provided $25 million worth of Suboxone, a common opioid addiction treatment drug. The cash payments will also go toward treatment efforts.

    “We are looking at using this money for treatment,” said Cuyahoga County prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “It’s about rehabilitation and getting people straight.”

    Meanwhile, Walgreens Boots Alliance, another defendant in the Ohio case, has not yet announced its settlement with the plaintiffs. Purdue Pharma, whose name is often evoked when it comes to the opioid crisis, was also a target of these lawsuits but filed for bankruptcy in September.

    All companies involved have denied the allegations that they’re responsible for the opioid epidemic, but the three who settled last week released a joint statement saying that the deal is “an important stepping stone to achieving a global resolution and delivering meaningful relief.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Tennessee Overdose Rates Hit Five-Year High

    Tennessee Overdose Rates Hit Five-Year High

    The increase in overdose deaths comes despite the fact that prescriptions for opioids have been drastically reduced in the state.

    Fatal drug overdose rates in Tennessee reached a five-year high in 2018, despite efforts in the state to drastically cut down on opioid prescribing.

    Data released by the Tennessee Department of Health showed that 1,818 people died of drug overdoses in the state last year, Fox17 Nashville reported. That gives the state an overall overdose rate of 27.4 per 100,000 deaths. Opioids accounted for 19.9 per 100,000.

    The increase in overdose deaths comes despite the fact that prescriptions for opioids have been drastically reduced in the state, from 622,083 in 2014 to 440,473 last year.

    Multiple Overdose Waves Have Hit The State In 2019

    Still, officials in Tennessee are dealing with an ongoing crisis on the ground. In August, officials in one county reported 16 overdoses within 24 hours. Five of those overdoses were fatal. In May, Memphis police reported that they had responded to 12 overdoses in 24 hours, with seven deaths in seven days throughout Shelby County.

    Police Col. Paul Wright said that synthetic opioids were to blame for the deaths.

    “If you use drugs that are laced with fentanyl, if you use fentanyl, you will die,” he said.

    He urged people not to use drugs alone, and reminded them that they could call for help without fearing repercussions if they were concerned about someone overdosing.

    He said, “We’re not about picking up a user. If you are a user, don’t be scared to call for assistance.”

    Wright also urged users and their loved ones to carry opioid overdose reversal drugs.

    “If you have a family member, or you are a user, of opioids, you need to get trained on Narcan,” he said.

    National Overdose Rate Is Declining

    Overdose data from 2018 is just beginning to be released, and national data is not yet available. Yet, preliminary data has indicated that the national overdose rate fell about 5% last year, the first time in decades that there has been a decrease in fatal overdoses.

    “It looks like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, an opioid researcher, told The New York Times.

    The progress has been uneven across the country, however. While some areas, like Tennessee, have reported increased overdose rates, others are seeing some progress in the fight against opioid addiction.

    In New York City, for example, fatal overdoses dropped 2.6% from 2017 to 2018. That left officialls cautiously optimistic.

    “The decrease in drug overdose deaths is promising, but far too many New Yorkers are still dying” New York Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said, according to NBC News.

    Pennsylvania had an impressive 18% decrease in fatal overdoses during 2018. Officials credit increased access to treatment and widespread availability of naloxone for reducing the overdose death rate and the overall overdose rate.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Combat Veterans May Be At Greater Risk For Opioid Addiction

    Combat Veterans May Be At Greater Risk For Opioid Addiction

    Combat exposure not only increased opioid narcotic and heroin use, but also non-medical use of sedatives and tranquilizers.

    The Military Times addressed the findings from a new study which suggested that U.S. troops and veterans who experienced combat had a more “substantial” risk for developing dependency on prescription opioids or heroin, than service members that were deployed but never saw armed conflict.

    The study, published in September by the non-profit National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), found that opioid abuse was 7% higher among vets who were exposed to combat than other military service members.

    Injuries Linked To Drug Abuse

    The study authors also found that combat-exposed troops were also 1% more likely to use heroin than those who were not involved in combat, and that about one-third of opioid abuse and more than half of heroin abuse could be linked to an injury suffered as a result of combat.

    The exact number of U.S. troops and veterans that have used or developed a dependency on opioids or heroin is unknown, but Veterans Administration (VA) officials reported in 2015 that they had observed a 55% increase in opioid use disorders among veterans with combat experience in either Iraq and Afghanistan, while approximately 68,000 veterans were treated at VA facilities for opioid dependency. 

    Between 2010 and 2016, more than 6,000 veterans in the VA system died of opioid-related causes. The economic impact of opioid addiction among service members is estimated at $1 billion per year, while heroin dependency is estimated at $470 million. But the study authors also noted that those numbers are most likely higher due to under-reporting by troops or veterans, who may also live in areas without access to treatment.

    Opioid Addiction Rates Are Underreported Among Vets

    To determine statistics regarding opioid use among vets, the study authors drew information from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and the 2008 Department of Defense Health and Related Behaviors Survey.

    Data from more than 12,000 male servicemen culled from both studies found that of more than 400 service members, nearly 13% reported using prescription drugs for recreational or non-medical purposes. Additionally, 9% of more than 11,000 servicemen who reported being in combat also stated that they used opioids for non-medical use, while 0.6% reported using heroin.

    From these findings, the study authors concluded that combat exposure not only increased opioid narcotic and heroin use, but also the non-medical use of sedatives and tranquilizers, as well as the use of opioids with other drugs like benzodiazepines, which can increase incidents of overdose.

    They also found that in states where medical marijuana is available, rates of opioid prescription, as well as hospitalizations and overdoses due to opioid use had all dropped. “While marijuana legalization is not a silver bullet, evidence that marijuana and opioids are substitutes suggests that access to medical marijuana may provide an alternative, less addictive and less unhealthy means of treating pain,” the study authors wrote.

    The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have attempted to address the opioid issue by issuing new guidelines in 2010 and 2013 that sought to reduce or offer alternatives for opioids as pain medication. Opioid prescriptions at VA facilities have dropped since 2012.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jury Selection Begins In Federal Opioid Trial

    Jury Selection Begins In Federal Opioid Trial

    The trial that begins next week technically will focus on Cuyahoga and Summit counties in Ohio.

    Jury selection began on Wednesday in the first federal opioid trial, which is slated to begin on Monday (Oct. 21). 

    The lawsuit that begins next week is part of the National Prescription Opiate Litigation, which brings together more than 2,000 lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors, according to NPR.

    The trial that begins next week technically has two plaintiffs—Cuyahoga and Summit counties in Ohio—but they will gauge how other trials will unfold.

    U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, who is overseeing the trial, has been clear about his desire to see parties settle out of court. 

    Negotiation Class

    In fact, last month Polster said that he will approve a “negotiation class.” Under this model, 49 governments would participate in negotiating a deal that would apply to every city and county in the country, unless the municipality explicitly opts out. The representatives of the 49 municipalities would have the opportunity to vote on potential settlements, potentially streamlining settlements between governments and manufacturers. 

    University of Connecticut law professor Alexandra Lahav said that this is an unusual approach.

    “The usual class action—the way it works is you have a class representative and they decide whether it’s a good settlement or not. Here we’re letting people vote. We have a much bigger input—that’s the novel thing here,” she said. “This is totally uncharted territory. There’s no model for any of it.”

    Time Is Of The Essence

    Polster has spoken out about his belief that the opioid cases are unique, and therefore call for unusual approaches to resolution. He has spoken about his belief that time is of the essence, so that settlement funds can be used to support people affected by opioid use disorder. Writing in a pretrial ruling, he said, “Ordinarily, the resolution of a social epidemic should be the responsibility of our other two branches of government, but these are not ordinary times.”

    While the National Prescription Opiate Litigation could result in a so-called “global settlement” that would resolve lawsuits, opioid manufacturers and producers could potentially still face criminal charges for their role in the epidemic. New York representative Max Rose (a democrat), has said, “The Sackler family does not belong in bankruptcy court, they belong in handcuffs.” 

    However, Rutgers Law School professor David Noll said that criminal charges could complicate the national litigation, which is likely why no states have filed criminal charges. 

    “There is a possibility that they’ll have to pay restitution,” he explained. “And their position will be, ‘The money which we had earmarked for the settlement now can’t be used for that purpose because we have to preserve our ability to satisfy a criminal judgment.’ That may explain why nobody has pulled the trigger on filing a criminal action against them.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Yang, Beto Discuss Unusual Solutions to The Opioid Epidemic

    Yang, Beto Discuss Unusual Solutions to The Opioid Epidemic

    The presidential candidates made the case for marijuana legalization and opioid decriminalization during a recent debate.

    Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke spoke about marijuana as a replacement for opioid pain pills during the Democratic primary debate on Tuesday (Oct. 15), while fellow candidate Andrew Yang expressed his support for decriminalizing opioids and opening safe injection sites. 

    O’Rourke shared a story about a veteran he had met who was addicted to heroin. He suggested that if the man had access to marijuana, he wouldn’t have become hooked on opioids, according to Marijuana Moment. 

    Marijuana Legalization

    “Now imagine that veteran, instead of being prescribed an opioid, had been prescribed marijuana, because we made that legal in America [and] ensured the VA could prescribe it, expunge the arrest records for those who’d been arrested for possession and made sure that he was not prescribed something to which he would become addicted,” O’Rourke said. 

    Asked directly whether marijuana is part of the answer the the opioid crisis, O’Rourke answered, “Yes it is.”

    As O’Rourke was speaking, Yang said, “Yes, preach Beto.”

    Decriminalizing Opioids

    During the debate, Yang expressed his support not only for legalizing marijuana, but for decriminalizing opioids, including heroin. 

    He said, “We need to decriminalize opioids for personal use. We need to let this country know this is not a personal failing, this was a systemic government failing. Then we need to open up safe consumption and safe injection sites around the country because they save lives.” 

    Yang continued, “We have to recognize [addiction] is a disease of capitalism run amok.”

    He pointed out, “There was a point where there were more opioid prescriptions in the state of Ohio than human beings in the state of Ohio, and for some reason the federal government thought that was appropriate.”

    Public Health Issue

    Yang said that because the government was complicit in the over-sale of opioids, it needed to support people who are now addicted to opioids. 

    “If the government turned a blind eye to this company, spreading a plague among its people, then the least we can do is put a resource into work in our communities so that people have a fighting chance to get well, even though this is not a money problem,” he said. “We all know this is a human problem. Part of helping people get the treatment that they need is to let them know that they’re not going to be referred to a prison cell, they will be referred to treatment and counseling.”

    Other more mainstream candidates including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have supported harm reduction policies as well. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Judge Orders Pause On Suits Against Sacklers, Purdue

    Judge Orders Pause On Suits Against Sacklers, Purdue

    The Sacklers had asked for a months-long stay on lawsuits while they dealt with Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy. 

    A federal judge has put a temporary hold on further lawsuits of Purdue Pharma or the Sackler family, but not as long of a hold as the Sacklers wanted. 

    Robert D. Drain, a bankruptcy judge based in New York, is overseeing the proceedings for Purdue (the maker of OxyContin), part of the company’s settlement in opioid litigation. Drain put a stay in place that will last until November 6.

    According to the New York Times, Drain said that this will keep the parties from unnecessary spending on litigation, but also ensure that the settlement is moving forward. 

    States that oppose the settlement agreement are trying to go after the Sacklers’ personal wealth, which the states argue was gained through their company’s harmful and possibly illegal marketing practices.

    The Sacklers Wanted A Longer Stay To Deal With Bankruptcy

    The Sacklers are contributing $3 billion to the settlement, but states argue that is little compared to the amount the company profited from OxyContin and other prescription drugs. The Sacklers asked for a months-long stay on lawsuits while they dealt with the bankruptcy. 

    The judge, it seemed, ruled in the middle. During the seven-hour hearing, Drain emphasized that the bankruptcy court could craft a binding agreement that would help states reach their ultimate goal: getting damages to help them cover the costs of the opioid crisis. He said that Purdue (and the Sacklers) would not be able to use delay tactics in his court. 

    Midway through the hearing, the Times reported that Drain shouted, “No one wastes time in front of me! Everyone, the debtor first and foremost, would engage in good faith.” 

    Learning From The Big Tobacco Settlement

    Drain pointed out that his court has the power to make a settlement that will dictate what the funds are used for. He pointed out that this could help avoid issues like those that happened with the tobacco settlement, where funds that were intended for smoking prevention were instead used to cover general budget shortcomings. 

    “That could not happen in a bankruptcy plan, because a bankruptcy plan is binding,” he said. 

    The states agreed to voluntarily abide by Drain’s decision, since a federal judge cannot compel states to a certain action. By November 6, the states will have more information from the Sacklers and Purdue, including how much, exactly, the family profited, said William Tong, Connecticut’s Attorney General. 

    “We are disappointed by the court’s ruling, but pleased that it is limited in time to less than 30 days,” he said. “We will use this time to ensure that we get access to the Sacklers’ financial information and will be ready on Nov. 6 to make our case to hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Chemical Warfare Tool Provides Lifesaving Info About What’s In Your Drugs

    Chemical Warfare Tool Provides Lifesaving Info About What’s In Your Drugs

    The MX908 can detect 70 types of fentanyl as well as more than 2,000 yet-unidentified fentanyl analogs.

    A machine intended for use by military and emergency personnel who handle hazardous material has become a lifesaving tool amid the fentanyl epidemic.

    The MX908 mass spectrometer was first marketed as a tool for “elite responders conducting chemical, explosive, priority drug and HazMat operations around the world.” But in places like Boston and Chicago, the machine is a harm reduction tool.

    The MX908 can detect 70 types of fentanyl as well as more than 2,000 yet-unidentified fentanyl analogs.

    WBUR witnessed the machine in action as Sarah Mackin of the Boston Public Health Commission tested a swab sample from the inside of a baggie “that was sold as heroin.”

    “So, there’s multiple kinds of opioid analgesics and multiple kinds of synthetic fentanyls in this sample that was sold as heroin,” she said. “It’s kind of an example of what the drug landscape looks like here.”

    Testing Fentanyl 

    This summer, Massachusetts health officials reported that the presence of fentanyl in the state had reached “an all-time high” despite a decrease in overall opioid-related deaths in 2019.

    One woman named “Bri” who tested drug residue using the machine in July suspected that carfentanil was present in her personal stash and triggered a previous overdose. “Now I’m going to be honest. If I was sick and I had one bag of dope on me and you told me there’s carfentanil in there, I’m not going to lie and say I wouldn’t use it. But I would know not to put the entire thing in,” she told WBUR.

    Proponents of the MX908 say that by having access to clear information about their drugs, people like Bri are empowered, in a way, to mitigate their risk and avoid overdose.

    The Chicago Recovery Alliance invested in two MX908s as part of its new drug-checking program that launched in March.

    Pricey & Legal-ish

    However, those seeking to make the machine available to more people are hindered by the “legal gray area” of drug checking and its hefty price tag. One machine costs $65,000.

    A trial of the MX908 in Boston is currently on hold while they determine if the practice is legal.

    As WBUR notes, fentanyl test strips are a much more cost-effective method of detecting fentanyl, at $1 per strip.

    View the original article at thefix.com