Tracking suspected drug overdose deaths quickly using data from death investigators
Official title: Identifying Suspected Drug Overdose Deaths in Near Real-Time Using Data Collected by Death Investigators
Funded at Friends Research Institute, INC. · NIH-10590013 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new tool to quickly spot suspected drug overdose deaths, helping public health programs respond faster and more accurately to the opioid crisis.
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 | September 29, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $2,099,989 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DA057685-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10590013 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who are at risk of drug overdose or those living in communities heavily impacted by the opioid crisis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use drugs or are not affected by the opioid crisis may not receive any direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance the response to the opioid crisis by developing a tool that identifies suspected drug overdose deaths in near real-time. By utilizing data collected by coroners and medical examiners immediately after an overdose fatality, the study seeks to improve the accuracy and speed of drug overdose surveillance. The Suspected Potential Overdose Tracker (SPOT) algorithm analyzes a limited set of variables to predict whether a death was due to an unintentional drug overdose, allowing public health programs to respond more effectively to these incidents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to faster identification and response to drug overdose deaths, ultimately saving lives and improving public health interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in using real-time data for public health surveillance, indicating that this approach has potential for effective implementation.
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.