What happens when fentanyl, methamphetamine, and benzos are mixed in the drug supply
Synthetics in Combination (SYNC)
This project will look at how mixing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepines affects people who use drugs by combining interviews, field observation, and analysis of overdose and drug-testing data.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112491 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear from researchers who spend time in communities and talk with people who use drugs to learn why and how they use multiple synthetic substances. The team will combine those interviews and ethnographic observations with population-level overdose records and drug-checking or toxicology data to map patterns and harms. They will pay special attention to combinations like fentanyl with methamphetamine or counterfeit pills and how these mixes may be accidental or intentional. The goal is to link what people report doing with real-world data on deaths and nonfatal overdoses to inform safer responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who use illicit opioids, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, or counterfeit pills—especially those who use more than one substance—are the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: People who do not use illicit drugs or those seeking immediate clinical treatment for addiction are unlikely to receive direct medical benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide harm-reduction outreach, public warnings, and tailored services to lower overdose risk from mixed synthetic drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Previous ethnographic and epidemiologic work has documented fentanyl-related harms, but combining in-depth fieldwork with drug-testing and overdose data to map polydrug risk is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ciccarone, Daniel H — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Ciccarone, Daniel H
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 below.