New System Will Monitor Emergence of Illicit Drugs

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Maryland’s Center for Substance Abuse Research (CEASAR) five years of funding for the creation of the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS), a system that monitors emerging drug trends across the United States.

“NDEWS will generate critically needed information about new drug trends in specific locations around the country so rapid, informed, and effective public health responses can be developed precisely where needed,” said National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, M.D.

The system will scan social media and Web platforms—as well as conventional data resources—to respond to potential outbreaks of illicit drugs such as heroin and to identify increased use of designer synthetic compounds.

The NDEWS network, which will consist of addiction experts and researchers, will assess the outbreak and examine anonymous urine samples—provided by the criminal justice drug testing programs—for enhanced analysis that includes testing for synthetic drug metabolites, and quickly disseminate information to the public using traditional and social media outlets.

Information on the NDEWS can be accessed here. ■