Near‑real‑time detection of suspected drug overdose deaths
Official title: Identifying Suspected Drug Overdose Deaths in Near Real-Time Using Data Collected by Death Investigators
Funded at Friends Research Institute, INC. · NIH-11364665 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses information collected by coroners and medical examiners to quickly flag likely drug overdose deaths so public health teams can act faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Friends Research Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $677,620 |
| NIH project number | 4R01DA057685-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364665 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is most relevant to people affected by opioid or other drug use who live in areas served by participating coroner or medical examiner offices whose investigation records are included.
✕Less likely to help
People in areas without participating coroner/medical examiner data or individuals seeking direct medical treatment should not expect immediate personal benefit from this surveillance project.
What this research studies
If someone in my community dies, this work takes the same notes death investigators already record and runs them through a simple algorithm called SPOT to flag deaths that likely involve drugs. The team will adapt and test the SPOT tool using data from coroners and medical examiners to see how well its near‑real‑time flags match later, finalized determinations. The goal is to give health departments faster, reliable signals about possible overdose spikes so they can target emergency and prevention resources. The approach uses routine investigation fields and aims to work without adding tests or extra steps at the death scene.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, health departments could spot overdose spikes sooner and get treatment, harm‑reduction resources, and alerts to communities more quickly.
How similar studies have gone: A version of this tool (SPOT) developed by the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner showed promise at flagging likely overdoses in near‑real‑time, but broader validation is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Friends Research Institute, INC.
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hochstatter, Karli Rae — Friends Research Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Hochstatter, Karli Rae
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.