Enhancing Community Drug Checking to Prevent Overdoses in Rural New England
Official title: CE25-149 - Enhancing Project DHARMA; evaluating a community-based drug checking navigator intervention to prevent overdoses
Funded at Mainehealth · NIH-11422033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based program in rural Maine and New Hampshire tests a navigator-led drug checking approach to help people who use drugs make safer choices and reduce overdoses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mainehealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2025 |
| Project end | September 29, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $700,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CE003694-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who use drugs in rural northern New England (Maine and New Hampshire) and who may access drug-checking services.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use drugs or who cannot access the drug-checking services may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will create and assess a navigator-led drug checking program delivered through local harm-reduction sites in rural Maine, comparing overdose rates before and after the intervention to a neighboring state without the program. It uses real-world data from pharmacies, syringe service programs, and overdose surveillance to see if better drug information lowers overdose risk. Participants are people who use drugs in the study regions, who may access drug checking services or receive navigation support. The study aims to determine whether access to timely drug content information translates into safer behaviors and fewer fatal or non-fatal overdoses. Results will inform whether this approach could be scaled to other rural areas with similar challenges.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce overdoses by improving drug knowledge and safer-use decisions among PWUD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior harm-reduction efforts with drug checking have shown promise, but effectiveness in rural settings and with navigator support remains to be demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
Mainehealth
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thakarar, Kinna — Mainehealth
- Study coordinator: Thakarar, Kinna
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.